Body composition of patients suffering from pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer, despite significant progress in diagnosis and treatment still has poor prognosis. Surgical treatment remains the only cure option. Unfortunately, the percentage of patients in whom radical tumor removal is possible is less than 20%. Resection procedures are burdened with a high degree of difficulty, as well as a high complication rate. One of the important factors contributing to the high morbidity of the perioperative period is malnutrition, and rapidly progressing malnutrition which occurs in about 85% of pancreatic cancer patients. Abnormal nutritional status is closely related to a change in the composition in the body. The aim of the study was to determine the changes in the body composition of patients with pancreatic cancer and their consequences based on the results of the current research. The available reports have shown that the body composition of a patient with pancreatic cancer undoubtedly changes and is dependent on the stage, location and type of cancer. Furthermore, the fact if antitumor treatment is applied or not, also plays a significant role. It appears that in patients with pancreatic cancer, weight loss with a decline in parameters such as body fat and skeletal muscle mass appears early and worsens as the tumor grows and the disease progresses. The above data suggest that knowing the patient's body composition and observing its changes may be a prognostic factor for survival and the occurrence of complications. Additionally, there are reports that dosing chemotherapy based on body composition rather than conventional measures can help reduce the toxicity of the treatment. Therefore, knowing the patient's body composition seems to be an important aspect.