Onkológia 5/2008

MALNUTRITION IN PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL CARCINOMA (ONCOLOGIST´S POINT OF VIEW)

Colorectal cancer is a worldwide health, social and economic problem. The incidence of malnutrition in patients with colorectal cancer is stated as 54 – 60 %. Primary cachexia is caused by hormonal, metabolic and energetic abnormalities; secondary cachexia is a consequence of functional and anatomic damage to digestive apparatus resulting from a tumor itself or its treatment. Colorectal carcinoma treatment is a complex process involving surgery, radiotherapy and cytostatic treatment. Each treatment modality also brings desirable and undesirable effects and influences patient’s nutritional status. Malnutrition worsens patient’s overall chances of successful treatment; therefore nutritional support aims to increase his/her anti-infection and antitumor immunity by means of mineral and water industry adjustment as well as by energetic stabilization.

Keywords: malignant cachexia, olorectal cancer, epidemiology, therapy, side effects of therapy for colorectal cancer, intervention of nutrition