Exploring the Relationship Between Dietary Phytochemical Index and Chemotherapy‐Related Symptoms: Insights From a Cross‐Sectional Study

Phytochemicals may confer substantial benefits in alleviating chemotherapy-related symptoms. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the role of dietary phytochemicals on treatment-related symptoms in patients receiving chemotherapy. Data including demographic variables, anthropometric measures such as weight and height, 3-day food record, and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS), a composite measure of patients' chemotherapy-related symptoms, were gathered via face-to-face interviews. The dietary phytochemical index (DPI) was computed based on the patient's food records and presented by dividing into quartiles. The study included 152 participants with a mean age of 59.59 ± 13.19 years. The mean N-SAS score was 2.16 ± 0.80. The average DPI score for the entire group was 24.66 ± 6.55, significantly higher in women (26.61 ± 6.06) than men (23.05 ± 6.54) (<i>p</i> = 0.001). As the DPI quartile values increased, there was a statistically significant decrease in N-SAS scores (<i>p</i> = 0.002). A significantly negative correlation was found between the N-SAS score and DPI, as well as all cancers (<i>r</i> = -0.364; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Additionally, a negative correlation was observed between the N-SAS score and specific cancer types, comprising lung cancer (<i>r</i> = -0.513; <i>p</i> = 0.005), breast cancer (<i>r</i> = -0.612; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and gastrointestinal system (GIS) cancer (<i>r</i> = -0.329; <i>p</i> = 0.033). Increasing dietary phytochemicals in chemotherapy patients may help manage treatment-related symptoms. Phytochemicals may confer substantial benefits in alleviating chemotherapy-related symptoms. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the role of dietary phytochemicals on cancer-related symptoms in patients receiving chemotherapy. A significantly negative correlation was found between N-SAS score and DPI and all cancers (<i>r</i> = -0.364; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and different cancer types such as lung (<i>r</i> = -0.513; <i>p</i> = 0.005), breast (<i>r</i> = -0.612; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and GIS (<i>r</i> = -0.329; <i>p</i> = 0.033). As a result, increasing dietary phytochemicals in chemotherapy patients may help manage treatment-related symptoms.