Nutritional status, physical condition, fatigue, and quality of life in oncological out-patients

Purpose: Nutrition and physical activity are vital health factors for cancer survivors. Early detection of deficiencies could contribute to early treatment, sustained improvement, preservation of quality of life (QoL) and the decrease of fatigue.

The aim of this study is to describe the nutritional status and the physical condition in tumor out-patients and its association with fatigue and QoL.

Methods: Data on bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), postural stability (stability index, SI), Karnofsky Index (KI), QoL (SF-36) and multidimensional fatigue (MFI-20) of 203 oncological out-patients were collected. Phase angle (PA) was calculated from BIA.

Results: PA and SI are far below the norm. QoL is significantly lower than in the normal population and the level of fatigue is significantly higher.

PA correlates with KI (r =-0.302) and with SF-36 scales: 'physical component summary' (PCS, r = 0.306), 'physical functioning' (r = 0.363), 'role limitations physical' (r = 0.242), 'general health perception' (r = 0.202) and 'vitality' (r = 0.157).

Furthermore, MFI-20 scales 'physical fatigue' (r =-0.194), 'reduced motivation' (-0.162) and MFI-20 'reduced activity' (r =-0.170) are negatively significantly associated with PA. MFT S3-SI (front/back, r =-0.380 and left/right, r =-0.370) correlates with SF-36 PCS.

Conclusion: The state of nutrition and the physical condition among tumor out-patients compromise their individual QoL. These variables also show associations to the manifestation of fatigue.

The results highlight the need for interdisciplinary cooperation to detect nutritional, physical and psychological deficiencies and demand the development of multimodal therapies in the treatment of tumor out-patients.