Exploring Body Composition Profiles in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the NUTRISCREEN Project.
6 affiliations
- 1Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", 80131 Naples, Italy.
- 2Experimental Clinical Abdominal Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", 80131 Naples, Italy.
- 3Colorectal Surgical Oncology Abdominal Oncology Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", 80131 Naples, Italy.
- 4Department of Urology and Gynecology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", 80131 Naples, Italy.
- 5Dietetics and Artificial Nutrition, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", 80131 Naples, Italy.
- 6Pharmacy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale", 80131 Naples, Italy.
Abstract
Body composition (BC) analysis may integrate assessment of nutritional risk in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Applying unsupervised machine learning techniques, we derived BC profiles (BCPs) and investigated their association with malnutrition risk and quality of life. This cross-sectional analysis includes gastrointestinal cancer patients enrolled in the NUTRItional and sarcopenia SCREENing project, part of the ONCOCAMP study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06270602). Malnutrition assessment was performed using the NRS-2002, anthropometry and BC analysis; HRQoL was evaluated with the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Principal component analysis and k-means clustering identified BCPs. Data from 189 patients (mean age: 66.3 ± 11.2 years) with gastric (37%), pancreatic (26.5%), rectal (24.3%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (12.2%) were analyzed. Overall, 36.5% of patients were at nutritional risk (NRS-2002 ≥ 3). Two BC clusters, High Muscle Profile (HMP) and Low Muscle Profile (LMP), were derived. Although no statistically significant association was observed in the overall cohort, multivariable analysis stratified by gender identified an association between LMP and nutritional risk among male patients (OR = 3.77, 95% CI: 1.08-14.3, p = 0.042); however, this finding should be considered exploratory. Nutritional risk, but not BC profiles, was associated with poorer Summary Score (β = 8.0, 95% CI: -14 to -2.3, p = 0.007) and higher Symptom Score (β = 9.8, 95% CI:4.5 to 15, p < 0.001). These preliminary results warrant further confirmation in larger, adequately powered longitudinal cohorts. Future studies should determine whether BCPs provide additional value beyond established nutritional screening and individual BC parameters in clinical practice.
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BibTeX
@article{luongo2026exploring,
title = {{Exploring Body Composition Profiles in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the NUTRISCREEN Project.}},
author = {Assunta Luongo and Francesco Pio Maria Di Carlo and Sergio Coluccia and Paola Rocco and Natalia Russo and Emanuela Racca and Maria D'Amico and Elisabetta Coppola and Davide D'Errico and Anna Crispo and Valeria Turrà and Piera Maiolino and Francesca Foschini and Lucrezia Silvestro and Anna Nappi and Carmela Romano and Antonio Avallone and Sandro Pignata and Giuseppe Porciello and NUTRISCREEN Research Group},
journal = {Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/curroncol33100591},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930158},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Exploring Body Composition Profiles in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the NUTRISCREEN Project.
AU - Assunta Luongo
AU - Francesco Pio Maria Di Carlo
AU - Sergio Coluccia
AU - Paola Rocco
AU - Natalia Russo
AU - Emanuela Racca
AU - Maria D'Amico
AU - Elisabetta Coppola
AU - Davide D'Errico
AU - Anna Crispo
AU - Valeria Turrà
AU - Piera Maiolino
AU - Francesca Foschini
AU - Lucrezia Silvestro
AU - Anna Nappi
AU - Carmela Romano
AU - Antonio Avallone
AU - Sandro Pignata
AU - Giuseppe Porciello
AU - NUTRISCREEN Research Group
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.)
DO - 10.3390/curroncol33100591
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42930158
AB - Body composition (BC) analysis may integrate assessment of nutritional risk in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Applying unsupervised machine learning techniques, we derived BC profiles (BCPs) and investigated their association with malnutrition risk and quality of life. This cross-sectional analysis includes gastrointestinal cancer patients enrolled in the NUTRItional and sarcopenia SCREENing project, part of the ONCOCAMP study (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06270602). Malnutrition assessment was performed using the NRS-2002, anthropometry and BC analysis; HRQoL was evaluated with the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Principal component analysis and k-means clustering identified BCPs. Data from 189 patients (mean age: 66.3 ± 11.2 years) with gastric (37%), pancreatic (26.5%), rectal (24.3%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (12.2%) were analyzed. Overall, 36.5% of patients were at nutritional risk (NRS-2002 ≥ 3). Two BC clusters, High Muscle Profile (HMP) and Low Muscle Profile (LMP), were derived. Although no statistically significant association was observed in the overall cohort, multivariable analysis stratified by gender identified an association between LMP and nutritional risk among male patients (OR = 3.77, 95% CI: 1.08-14.3, p = 0.042); however, this finding should be considered exploratory. Nutritional risk, but not BC profiles, was associated with poorer Summary Score (β = 8.0, 95% CI: -14 to -2.3, p = 0.007) and higher Symptom Score (β = 9.8, 95% CI:4.5 to 15, p < 0.001). These preliminary results warrant further confirmation in larger, adequately powered longitudinal cohorts. Future studies should determine whether BCPs provide additional value beyond established nutritional screening and individual BC parameters in clinical practice.
SN - 1198-0052
SN - 1718-7729
ER -