Abstract:

Objective To investigate the relationship between nutritional status and postoperative adverse reactions to adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Methods A total of 100 patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy （AC-T protocol） after breast cancer surgery were selected from January 1，2014 to December 30，2015. Nutritional risk and malnutrition was assessed before chemotherapy based on the nutritional risk screening 2002 instrument and body mass index （BMI）. Adverse reactions to chemotherapy and hospitalization time were recorded， and their potential relationships with nutritional status were explored. Results Incidence of undernourishment was 7%，and incidence of nutritional risk was 44%. Of the 100 patients，35% showed grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ gastrointestinal reactions， 63% showed grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ hematotoxicity， and 13% showed neutropenic fever. Incidence of gradeⅢ-Ⅳ  hematological toxicity was significantly higher among patients with nutritional risk than among those without risk（P<0.05）. Incidence of neutropenia fever and of adverse events was significantly higher among patients with undernourishment or nutritional risk than among other patients （P<0.05）. Average hospital stay was significantly longer among patients with nutritional risk than among those without nutritional risk（P<0.05）. Conclusion Breast cancer patients with undernutrition or nutritional risk may be at higher risk of postoperative adverse reactions to adjuvant chemotherapy， leading to longer hospital stay.

Key words: Breast neoplasms, Nutritional status, Chemotherapy, Adverse reaction