Tình trạng suy dinh dưỡng và các yếu tố liên quan ở người bệnh ung thư đường tiêu hóa đang hóa trị tại Bệnh viện Đại học Y Dược Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

Malnutrition is a common and critical issue among cancer patients, significantly impacting treatment outcomes and quality of life. Particularly in gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, the prevalence of malnutrition is high due to disease progression and treatment side effects. This condition can prolong hospital stays, reduce treatment response, and worsen patient prognosis. Given the increasing incidence of gastrointestinal cancers globally and in Vietnam, understanding the malnutrition status and its related factors is crucial for effective patient management. This study aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors in gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City in 2025, providing essential data for early nutritional screening and intervention strategies.

Medical professionals, particularly oncologists, gastroenterologists, and clinical nutritionists involved in cancer care, as well as public health researchers and policymakers.

This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated factors among 103 gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City between March and May 2025. The research employed convenience sampling and assessed nutritional status using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) tool. Participants had a median age of 59 years, with a male majority (63.1%). The findings revealed a notably high prevalence of malnutrition, with 63.1% of patients being at risk or severely malnourished according to PG-SGA scores, and 31.1% suffering from severe malnutrition. A statistically significant association was identified between nutritional status and cancer stage, indicating that patients in advanced stages (III-IV) were 2.11 times more likely to be malnourished compared to those in earlier stages (p < 0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between nutritional status and demographic factors like gender, age, occupation, or other treatment-related variables (e.g., combined surgery, number of chemotherapy doses, tumor location, or history of comorbidity). The study highlights the critical need for early and systematic nutritional screening and timely interventions for gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to improve their overall clinical outcomes, enhance treatment effectiveness, and ultimately improve patient quality of life and prognosis.