Comorbidity, body composition and the progression of advanced colorectal cancer

• Author / Creator

  Lieffers, Jessica

• The purpose of this work was to further understand nutritional status, especially body weight and composition, during colorectal cancer progression. Population-based studies of colorectal cancer patients were conducted using administrative health data (primary and co-morbid diseases, demographics), and computed tomography (CT) imaging (body composition). In cohort 1, administrative health data was used to study comorbidities and nutritional status in 574 colorectal cancer patients referred for chemotherapy. Multivariate Cox regression revealed several comorbidities, performance status and weight loss ≥ 20% predicted survival. In cohort 2, a serial CT image analysis assessed longitudinal body composition changes during the last 12 months preceding death from colorectal cancer (n=34). Body composition changes were typified by exponential increases in liver metastases with concurrent accelerations of muscle and fat loss. These results have the potential to make a difference in how colorectal cancer patients are treated and researched by dietitians, oncologists, and health services researchers.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Computed tomography imaging
  • Survival
  • ICD codes
  • Body composition
  • Resting energy expenditure
  • Charlson comorbidity index
  • Nutrition
  • Liver metastases
  • Comorbidities
  • Weight loss
  • Cancer cachexia
  • Elixhauser comorbidity index
  • Colorectal cancer

• Graduation date

  Fall 2010

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R33X6C

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.