Poor Muscle Status, Dietary Protein Intake, Exercise Levels, Quality of Life and Physical Function in Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer at Chemotherapy Commencement and during Follow-Up

This study aimed to investigate nutritional status, body composition, dietary protein intake, handgrip strength, 6 min or 4 m walk tests, self-reported physical activity, physical function, and quality of life (QoL-EORTC-QLQc30) at commencement of chemotherapy; to detect changes over time (from comm...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jessica Parkinson, Amelia Bandera, Megan Crichton, Catherine Shannon, Natasha Woodward, Adam Hodgkinson, Luke Millar, Laisa Teleni, Barbara S. van der Meij
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Current Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/30/1/54
Description
Summary:This study aimed to investigate nutritional status, body composition, dietary protein intake, handgrip strength, 6 min or 4 m walk tests, self-reported physical activity, physical function, and quality of life (QoL-EORTC-QLQc30) at commencement of chemotherapy; to detect changes over time (from commencement of chemotherapy, and after 3, 6, 12, 26 and 52 weeks) in women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC); and to investigate the relationship between nutritional variables. ‘Sarcopenia’ was defined as low muscle mass and strength, ‘myosteatosis’ as muscle fat-infiltration (CT scan). Continuous variables were analysed using paired t-tests between baseline and follow-ups. Fifteen women (54y, 95% CI [46.3;61.2]) were recruited. At baseline, malnutrition was present in 3 (20%) participants, sarcopenia in 3 (20%) and myosteatosis in 7 (54%). Thirteen (87%) participants had low protein intake; low handgrip strength was observed in 0, and low walk test distance and physical activity in four (27%) participants. Physical function and QoL were low in 10 (67%) and 9 (60%), respectively. QoL between baseline and 52 weeks decreased by 11.7 (95% CI [2.4;20.9], <i>p</i> = 0.025). Other variables did not significantly change over time. In this small study sample, myosteatosis, low dietary protein intake, low exercise levels and impaired quality of life and physical function are common.
ISSN:1198-0052
1718-7729