Predictors of overall survival based on the nutrition and morphofunctional assessment of patients with cancer: A prospective observational study

Background Disease‐related malnutrition (DRM) is a common complication of cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. Morphofunctional assessment has emerged as a new approach with high reliability for assessing body composition and nutrition status. This study performed a nutrition and morphofunctional evaluation in patients with cancer to identify predictors of overall survival. Methods This observational prospective study was conducted on patients with cancer who underwent nutrition assessment, which included morphofunctional techniques. The follow‐up period lasted 1 year after the initial evaluation, during which mortality rates were recorded. Survival analysis methods were used for statistical analysis. Results Among the 192 patients with cancer recruited, 24% died during the follow‐up. The reactance to height ratio (Xc/H) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90–0.98), the phase angle (PhA) (HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.34–0.78), the standardized PhA (SPhA) (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38–0.96), the body cell mass index (BCMI) (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71–0.97), the C‐reactive protein to prealbumin (CP) ratio (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.04–3.46), the nonlimited physical capacity (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27–0.93), and the exercise practice (HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02–0.88) were independent predictors of overall survival after adjusting for age, sex, and stage of cancer. Conclusion This research identifies several predictors of overall survival in cancer, including bioelectrical impedance analysis parameters (PhA, SPhA, Xc/H, and BCMI), as well as CP, nonlimited physical capacity, and exercise practice. Therefore, nutrition assessment, incorporating morphofunctional evaluation, can be benifical in patients with cancer.