# Factors Associated with Nutritional Risk in Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Secondary Analysis of a Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study identifies factors linked to nutritional risk in colorectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, emphasizing the role of diet and surgery.

## Contribution

The study introduces dietary structure score and surgery status as novel factors associated with nutritional risk in CRC patients receiving chemotherapy.

## Key findings

- 33.7% of CRC patients undergoing chemotherapy had nutritional risk.
- Non-surgery and high dietary structure score were associated with lower nutritional risk.
- Patients with nutritional risk had lower intake of grains, vegetables, fruits, and oils.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Our previous study showed that the dietary structure is imbalanced in a majority of colorectal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. These patients had higher risk of developing malnutrition. In the present study, we aimed to identify factors associated with nutritional risk in this cohort of patients. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a dataset that was originally collected to identify the factors that are associated with an imbalanced dietary structure in patients receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. Nutritional risk was evaluated by using an NRS-2002 form. Binary logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. Results: Among the 178 CRC patients enrolled in this study, 60 (33.7%) had nutritional risk. Patients with nutritional risk exhibited lower intake of grains, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and oils compared to those without risk. Multivariate analysis showed that non-surgery (95% CI: 0.130–0.914, p = 0.032) and high dietary structure score (95% CI: 0.808–0.944, p = 0.001) are associated with lower nutritional risk in CRC patients receiving chemotherapy. Conclusions: CRC patients receiving chemotherapy have moderate risk of developing malnutrition. Dietary structure score and surgery are associated with malnutrition in CRC patients receiving chemotherapy. Education on proper dietary structure is a potential strategy to mitigate nutritional risk in CRC patients undergoing chemotherapy. These findings highlight the need for personalized nutritional support to optimize patient outcomes.