Impact of the Weight Loss Grading System and Handgrip Strength on the Functional Capacity of Patients with Advanced Cancer

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All articles of this category (opens in new window) Address for correspondence Yara Cristina de Paiva Maia (yaracpmaia@gmail.com) Advanced cancer often leads to weight loss, reduced muscle strength, and functional decline. The Weight Loss Grading System (WLGS), handgrip strength (HGS) and functional capacity are potential prognostic tools to assess patient vulnerability and guide supportive care. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between WLGS, HGS, and functional status in patients with advanced cancer. A total of 100 adult patients with advanced solid tumors under palliative care at the Federal University of Uberlândia’s hospital were included. Functional capacity was assessed using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS), and HGS was measured via hand dynamometry. WLGS was determined based on body mass index and weight loss percentage. Binary Logistic regression was performed to evaluate association between WLGS and ECOG-PS (dichotomized as 0 vs. ≥1), while linear regression assessed the relationship between WLGS and HGS. All models were adjusted for age and gender. Higher WLGS grades were significantly associated with reduced functional capacity (ECOG ≥1); each unit increase in WLGS was associated with a 34.7% increase in the odds of functional impairment (OR=1.347; p=0.039). WLGS was also inversely associated with HGS (p=0.006), indicating that more severe weight loss was associated with reduced muscle strength. These findings suggest that WLGS is a meaningful predictor of both functional limitation and muscle weakness in advanced cancer. Integrating WLGS and HGS assessments into clinical practice may enhance prognostic evaluation and support timely, targeted interventions to maintain function and quality of life 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 Ana Beatriz Tavares Martins, Yara Cristina de Paiva Maia, Andressa Miranda Machado, Taysa Machado Menezes, Bruna Malagoli M. Rocha, Paula P. Lajolo Canto, Carlos Eduardo Paiva. Impact of the Weight Loss Grading System and Handgrip Strength on the Functional Capacity of Patients with Advanced Cancer. Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2026; 22. DOI: 10.1055/s-0046-1825368

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