Body mass index but not percentage weight loss was associated with the race/ethnicity of patients with advanced lung cancer: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer often experience weight loss, which contributes to a decreased quality of life and signals a poor prognosis. The objective of this retrospective study is to investigate whether the self-reported race/ethnicity of patients undergoing palliative care is associated with weight loss. METHODS: The charts of 1,253 patients with advanced lung cancer who had a Palliative Medicine consultation, during 2022, were identified and random sample of 94 Asian, 94 Black, 87 Hispanic and 91 non-Hispanic-White patients were selected for evaluation. Patient demographics, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, body mass index (BMI), weight history, symptom burden measured by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), cancer treatments provided (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or immunotherapy), prescription of appetite stimulants [megestrol acetate, steroids, olanzapine, cannabinoids, metoclopramide, or mirtazapine), and nutritional laboratory markers (albumin, protein level, neutrophile-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)] were collected. Univariate and multivariable regression linear analysis were performed to explore whether a patient's self-identified race/ethnicity was an independent predictor of weight loss. RESULTS: Among the different self-identified racial/ethnic groups of patients, no significant differences in age, gender, appetite stimulants received, and NLR were noted. The Asian and Hispanic cohort had significantly lower weight and BMI at first encounter, Palliative Medicine consultation, and final recorded visit compared to all other groups (P