Changes in body composition of cancer patients following combined nutritional support

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Nutr. Cancer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/01635588209513746· OSTI ID:5652178

Cohn, S H; Vartsky, D; Vaswani, A N; Sawitsky, A; Rai, K; Gartenhaus, W; Yasumura, S; Ellis, K J

The effects of combined nutritional support (parenteral, enteral, and oral) were measured in cancer patients unable to maintain normal alimentation.Changes in body composition were quantified by measurement of total body levels of nitrogen, potassium, water, and fat. The protein-calorie intake of the patients was also evaluated by dietary survey (4-day recall). Standard anthropometric and biochemical measurements for nutritional assessment were obtained for comparison. The dietary evaluation indicated that the dietary supplementation for all patients was more than adequate to meet their energy requirements. Determination of body composition indicated that change in body weight was equal to the sum of the changes in body protein, total body water, and total body fat. Information on the nature of the tissue gained was obtained by comparison of body composition data with the ratio of protein:water:lean body mass for normal tissue. The mean gain of protein in the cancer patients was quite small (0.3-0.6 kg). The main change in body weight appeared to be the result of gains in body water and body fat. The total body nitrogen to potassium ratio served to define the extent of tissue anabolism following hyperalimentation. The ratio dropped in the cancer patients following hyperalimentation toward the value of the control subjects on ad libitum diets. Total body nitrogen was determined by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis, total body potassium by whole-body counting. (JMT)

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Medical Research Center, Upton, NY
• OSTI ID: 5652178
• Journal Information: Nutr. Cancer; (United States), Journal Name: Nutr. Cancer; (United States) Vol. 4:2; ISSN NUCAD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ADIPOSE TISSUE
ALKALI METALS
ANIMAL TISSUES
BARYON REACTIONS
BODY
BODY COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIET
DISEASES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FEEDING
GAMMA RADIATION
HADRON REACTIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
METABOLISM
METALS
NEOPLASMS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUTRIENTS
NUTRITION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
POTASSIUM
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
THERAPY
TISSUES
WATER
WEIGHT
WHOLE-BODY COUNTING