Nutritional and Anthropometric Assessment in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Body Composition and Malnutrition Classification

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All articles of this category (opens in new window) Address for correspondence Vitória Brandão Leonardi (vitorialeonardi13@gmail.com) Advanced cancer represents a clinical stage in which the disease is no longer responsive to curative treatment and is often associated with progressive functional decline and metabolic changes. Malnutrition, particularly cancer cachexia, is highly prevalent in this population and contributes to poor treatment tolerance, impaired quality of life, and reduced survival. Accurate clinical assessment using both nutrition screening tools and body composition analysis is essential to identify at-risk patients and guide target interventions. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and anthropometric profile of patients with advanced cancer in a local public hospital in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Adult patients are diagnosed with locally advanced disease or with histological, cytological, or radiological evidence of metastasis, with the main types of tumors being breast, prostate and intestinal. The following assessments were performed: Body Mass Index (BMI) and calf circumference (CC). Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), including fat-free mass (FFM) and skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI). Malnutrition was classified according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed. A total of 105 patients were included (mean age 63.4 ± 11.7 years; 57% male and 43% female). Based on GLIM criteria using BIA a, 71.7% of patients were wellnourished, with 28.3% were classified as malnutrition. The mean BMI was 25.8 ± 5.4 kg/m². According to ASMI, 23.7% of patients had low skeletal muscle mass. Based on FFM classification, 40.8% were obese and 10.5% were overweight. Malnutrition (GLIM) was significantly associated with lower muscle mass and reduced anthropometric indicators (p<0.05). A considerable proportion of patients with advanced cancer presented body composition alterations and malnutrition, even among those with adequate BMI. The use of BIA and GLIM criteria enabled a more precise identification of malnutrition and muscle depletion, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive nutritional assessment in this population in order to optimize supportive care and potentially improve outcomes in this vulnerable population. Publication History Article published online: 26 June 2026 © 2026. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil Bibliographical Record Vitória Brandão Leonardi, Taysa Machado Meneses, Andressa Miranda Machado, Talita Cristina Rodrigues Pereira, Bruna Maria Malagoli Rocha Santos Santos, Paula Philbert Lajolo Canto, Carlos Eduardo Paiva Paiva, Yara Cristina de Paiva Maia. Nutritional and Anthropometric Assessment in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Body Composition and Malnutrition Classification. Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2026; 22. DOI: 10.1055/s-0046-1825370

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