IMPROVING PATIENT CARE PROTOCOLS: IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT IN BREAST CANCER TREATMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-1795.2025.19.4.7Keywords:
nutritional support, nutritional status, quality of life, breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapyAbstract
Background. While advancements in drug therapies, surgical techniques, and clinical skills have significantly improved breast cancer treatment outcomes, the nutritional care of patients has remained largely unchanged. This stagnation fails to address the critical role of nutrition in patient recovery and quality of life. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a cornerstone in managing locally advanced breast cancer, but it often negatively impacts patients’ nutritional status. Improving nutritional interventions is essential to achieving better patient care and treatment outcomes.Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the nutritional status of breast cancer patients, identify key nutritional challenges during treatment, and emphasize the need for integrating nutritional support into patient care protocols.Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 121 breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy at a tertiary hospital between 2008 and 2024. Nutritional indicators, including the prognostic nutritional index, serum albumin levels, and body mass index were assessed at three time points: before neoadjuvant chemotherapy, before surgery, and after surgery. Statistical analyses, including t-tests and generalized linear models, were used to determine the significance of changes associated with the neoadjuvant chemotherapy in these indicators.Results. The study revealed that neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly reduced presurgery prognostic nutritional index (mean difference: −2.91, p = 0.0072), indicating a negative impact on nutritional reserves. However, no significant differences were observed post-surgery (p = 0.8507), suggesting recovery of nutritional status within a week. Serum albumin levels were consistently affected during treatment, correlating with reduced immune function. Body mass index and chemotherapy complications had a weaker association with nutritional outcomes.Conclusions. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy adversely affects nutritional status during the preoperative period, underscoring the importance of targeted nutritional interventions. Integrating personalized nutritional support into patient care protocols can mitigate these effects, enhance treatment tolerance, and improve overall outcomes. Addressing nutritional needs is a critical component of optimizing breast cancer care and improving patients’ quality of life.
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