The main objective of this study was the assessment of the nutritional status of children and adolescents aged between 0-18 with malignancies based on BMI percentiles and standard deviation scores, at diagnosis, during treatment and during a period of two years after the end of therapy.

Children and adolescents suffering from malignancies often show malnutrition. Malnutrition, defined as a deficiency or an excess of energy, is associated with an increased risk of comorbidities, reduced survival rates, higher relapse rates, and worse treatment response.

The present retrospective study assessed the nutritional status of children and adolescents, suffering from nine different kinds of cancer, based on BMI percentiles and standard deviation scores. Anthropometric data were recorded from clinical charts and an assessment of the nutritional status was made at the beginning of treatment, during the course of therapy and during a follow-up period of two years. The influence of treatment-related characteristics, the duration of therapy, and the occurrence of a relapse or progress during therapy on the nutritional status were examined.

Inclusion Criteria:

• children and adolescents treated at the Olgahospital Stuttgart for one of the nine different cancer types
• treated according to a study protocol of the Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology (GPOH), with modifications only allowed within the therapeutic protocol
• time period between diagnosis and start of treatment less than 28 days
• age younger than 18

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe underlying disease, which exerts a strong influence on weight and/or height
• patients whose clinical record does not state any weight and/or height
• diseases which are not considered as malignant because of the state or biology

Children and adolescents, treated for one of the following diseases: lymphoma, germ cell tumor, nephroblastoma, soft tissue sarcoma, neuroblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, brain tumor, or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML)