Abstract

Background and Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) on chemotherapy tolerance and long-term survival outcomes in postoperative colorectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods and Study Design: This study was a secondary analysis based on a randomized controlled trial, and patients undergoing chemotherapy after hospital discharge were included. Patients in the ONS group received dietary advice as well as ONS for three months, while the control group received only dietary advice. Clinical characteristics and nutritional indicators were collected at baseline and three months after hospital discharge to assess nutritional status. These included body weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle index, serum albumin, and hemoglobin levels. Chemotherapy modifications including dose reduction, delay, and discontinuation were recorded to represent chemotherapy tolerance. The survival information within 5 years was collected and analysed. Results: There were 157 patients included in this study, with 80 patients in the ONS group and 77 in the control group. At three months after hospital discharge, nutrition-related parameters showed no significant differences between the two groups. However, the ONS group demonstrated a significant improvement in chemotherapy tolerance comparing to the control group (17.5% vs. 35.1%, p = 0.01). Additionally, the ONS group exhibited a lower 5-year all-cause mortality rate and significantly improved survival outcomes compared to the control group (hazard ratio 0.58, 95%CI: 0.34-0.98, p = 0.04). Conclusions: The administration of ONS after hospital discharge can improve chemotherapy tolerance and long-term survival rates in colorectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, highlighting the importance of nutritional support during postoperative chemotherapy. Further studies are warranted to validate the underlying mechanisms and other long-term effects.

Download this article

PDF format