Sarcopenia em pacientes oncológicos em cuidados paliativos: uma revisão integrativa.

Abstract

Objective: Analyze the scientific production about the consequences of sarcopenia in oncologic patients in palliative care. Methodology: Integrative review in order to answer the following question: "What are the consequences of sarcopenia in oncologic patients in palliative care?" Data was collected from the Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde, Pubmed, LILACS and Scielo, using the terms "sarcopenia", "palliative care" and "cancer". Results: Eighteen articles were included, from which three thematic approaches were extracted that address the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia, and its influence on survival, quality of life and symptoms in oncologic patients in palliative care. Conclusion: Sarcopenia has a high prevalence in these patients, leading to a higher risk of toxicity to palliative chemotherapy with influence on survival, and it is also related to a greater symptom burden, contributing to a worsening of the quality of life of these patients, which makes discussions necessary regarding the treatment of sarcopenia during the course of the oncologic disease.