P035 - SIDE EFFECT PROFILES OF CANCER THERAPIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF INPATIENTS OF APEKSHA HOSPITAL, MAHARAGAMA, SRI LANKA.

P035

SIDE EFFECT PROFILES OF CANCER THERAPIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF INPATIENTS OF APEKSHA HOSPITAL, MAHARAGAMA, SRI LANKA.

S. Mallawaarachchi^1,*, P. Mallawaarachchi², B. Senarathna¹, A. Rathnayake¹, B. Perera¹

¹Medical Nutrition Unit, National Cancer Institute , Maharagama , ²Medical Nutrition Unit, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Rationale: Cancer therapies are vital for disease management, but in some cases, they can compromise the nutritional status of patients due to post-treatment complications. This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study to determine the relationship between specific side effect profiles of cancer treatment and resulting nutritional outcomes among inpatients at National Cancer Institute (Apeksha Hospital), Maharagama, Sri Lanka

Methods: This study was conducted involving 150 inpatients from 1^st of March to 31^st of March 2025. Nutritional status was assessed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire including sociodemographic, clinical, medical, and anthropometric parameters. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20. 

Results: The overall prevalence of malnutrition was recorded at 22.6%. The highest prevalence was observed in patients with reproductive system cancers (26.1%) and second highest was reported in patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal malignancies (25.2%). Treatment-related side effects were reported by 84.29% of patients with concurrent chemotherapy, including anorexia (94.3%), vomiting (86.7%), nausea (74.3%), diarrhoea (70.5%). constipation (64.8%), parosmia (26.7%) and taste alterations (23.8%).  Results of the chi-square analysis revealed that there is no significant association between anorexia or chemotherapy with malnutrition (p>0.05).  

Conclusion: In conclusion, specific treatment-related side effects and the cancer type, particularly the gastrointestinal and oral cavity malignancies, could reduce the daily food intake, which may lead to weight loss-induced malnutrition. The findings recommend the necessity of personalized nutritional interventions based on anticipated treatment side- effect profiles to improve the nutritional status of cancer patients.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared