Why the oncologist should consider the nutritional status of the elderly cancer patient.

Epidemiologic studies show that malnutrition frequently afflicts elderly cancer patients. Malnutrition, (expressed as weight loss, or depletion of some body compartments or alteration of nutritional clinical or biochemical scores) is associated with higher morbidity/mortality, poor quality of life, reduced tolerance to oncologic therapy and poor efficacy of chemotherapy. Recently, sarcopenia, regardless of the presence of weight loss, has been identified as an independent risk factor for chemotherapy toxicity.