Inflammatory and nutritional statuses of patients submitted to resection of gastrointestinal tumors.

Objective: to evaluate the association between the nutritional and the inflammatory statuses of patients with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract undergoing surgical resection and to identify predictors of mortality in these patients.

Methods: we conducted a prospective study of 41 patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer submitted to surgery between October 2012 and December 2014. We evaluated the nutritional status by subjective and objective methods.

Biomarkers as predictors of mortality in critically ill patients with solid tumors.

Biochemical markers produced by the affected organ or body in response to disease have gained high clinical value due to assess disease development and being excellent predictors of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to analyze different biochemical markers in critically cancer patients and to determine which of them can be used as predictors of mortality. This is a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted at a University Hospital in Porto Alegre - RS.

Reliability of nutritional assessment in patients with gastrointestinal tumors.

Patients with gastrointestinal cancer and malnutrition are less likely to tolerate major surgical procedures, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In general, they display a higher incidence of complications such as infection, dehiscence and sepsis, which increases the length of stay and risk of death, and reduces quality of life. The aim of this review is to discuss the pros and cons of different points of view to assess nutritional risk in patients with gastrointestinal tract (GIT) tumors and their viability, considering the current understanding and screening approaches in the field.

COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF PERIOPERATIVE IMMUNONUTRITION IN GASTROINTESTINAL ONCOLOGIC SURGERY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

Introduction: Costs, length of hospital staying and morbidity are frequently and significantly increased as a result of infections and other complications following surgical procedure for gastrointestinal tract cancer. Recently, improving host defence mechanisms have become a target of interest. Immunonutrition aims at improving immunity, most likely providing key nutrients to maintain T-lymphocyte and other host defence.

Nutritional risk assessment in critically ill cancer patients: systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review the main methods for nutritional risk assessment used in critically ill cancer patients and present the methods that better assess risks and predict relevant clinical outcomes in this group of patients, as well as to discuss the pros and cons of these methods according to the current literature.

Methods: The study consisted of a systematic review based on analysis of manuscripts retrieved from the PubMed, LILACS and SciELO databases by searching for the key words "nutritional risk assessment", "critically ill" and "cancer".

Results: Only 6 (17.