Table 3 Percentage of weight loss at the start of treatment and of weight gain/maintenance by the end of treatment, according to tumour location.

From: Evaluation of a protocol to detect malnutrition and provide nutritional care for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Location (n)

% weight loss at the start of the protocol, with respect to normal weight (median, IQR)

% weight gained or maintained at the end of treatment (compared to start of protocol) (median, IQR)

Statistical significance (start of protocol vs. end of chemotherapy) p < 0.005

Head-neck (5)

− 16.3 (18.1)

1.7 (15.6)

0.080

Oesophagus-stomach (13)

− 7.8 (11.5)

− 2.9 (10.6)

0.101

Pancreas-bile ducts (9)

− 7.9 (14.5)

− 5.6 (12.5)

0.678

Colorectal (37)

− 6.1 (9.7)

0.0 (6.7)

0.002

Gynaecological (32)

− 5.2 (2.2)

1.7 (3.9)

0.003

Lungs (45)

− 0.6 (15.5)

0.0 (7.3)

0.044

Other (9)

− 3.8 (7)

0.0 (16.8)

0.028

Breast (72)

0.0 (5.8)

0.0 (4.8)

0.226

Bladder (12)

− 2.0 (5.8)

1.0 (4.1)

0.308

Total sample (234)

− 3.6% ± 8.2 (mean ± SD)

0% ± 7.3 (mean ± SD)

< 0.001