Table 3.
Changes in nutritional markers and onset of toxicity during neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy.
| Characteristic | Total N = 125 (%) |
|---|---|
| Mean weight pre-nCRT (lbs) | 188 |
| Mean weight post-nCRT | 178 |
| Mean weight change | 10 |
| Weight change category | |
| Weight gain | 20 (16) |
| Weight loss <5% | 40 (32) |
| Weight loss ≥5–10% | 45 (36) |
| Weight loss ≥10% | 20 (16) |
| Mean albumin 1 (pre-nCRT) (g/dL) | 3.8 |
| Mean albumin (post-nCRT) (g/dL) | 3.4 |
| Mean albumin (g/dL) loss | 0.4 |
| Albumin change | |
| <0.5 g/dL | 59 (47) |
| ≥0.5 g/dL | 61 (49) |
| Pre-CRT feeding jejunostomy tube placement | |
| Yes | 62 (50) |
| No | 63 (50) |
| Mean weight loss with FJT (lbs) | 8 |
| Mean weight loss without FJT (lbs) | 13 |
| Mean albumin loss with FJT (g/dL) | 0.38 |
| Mean albumin loss without FJT (g/dL) | 0.52 |
| Chemotherapy dose reductions | 12 (10) |
| Chemotherapy dose interruptions | 27 (22) |
| Dose reductions/interruptions | 33 (26) |
| Hospitalizations | 23 (18) |
nCRT, neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy; FJT, feeding jejunostomy tube; 1 Albumin levels were unavailable in 4 patients.