Comprehensive nursing care for advanced digestive malignancy patients during chemotherapy based on probiotic intervention: a randomized controlled study on improvement of gastrointestinal function and prevention of complications

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of a comprehensive nursing protocol combined with a probiotic intervention on improving gastrointestinal function, reducing non-infectious complications, and enhancing the quality of life in patients with advanced digestive malignancies undergoing chemotherapy, thereby providing evidence-based support for chemotherapy nursing care. Methods: A total of 300 advanced digestive malignancy patients undergoing chemotherapy at Our Oncology Specialty Hospital from January 2021 to December 2024 were randomly divided into a control group (150 patients) and an observation group (150 patients) using a random number table. The control group received conventional chemotherapy nursing care, while the observation group received a combined probiotic intervention along with comprehensive nursing care. Baseline data, gastrointestinal function scores (bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea/vomiting), nutritional status indicators (serum albumin, prealbumin, BMI), and quality of life scores (EORTC QOLQ-C30) were recorded before and after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of intervention. Non-infectious complications and nursing satisfaction were also evaluated. The dynamic effects of the intervention were analyzed using Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE). Results: No significant differences were observed between the groups at baseline (P>0.05). However, after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of intervention, the observation group exhibited significantly improved gastrointestinal function, with lower scores across all dimensions compared to the control group (P