Comparative analysis of SGA and GLIM as nutritional screening tools among oncology patients in Kochi, Kerala

Aim and background: Malnutrition is a concern among oncology patients, impacting the protocol of cancer therapy and quality of life (QoL). Kerala has evidenced a steady increase in lifestyle diseases in the last decade, cancer being one among them. Nutritional assessment is pivotal in cancer therapy. This study evaluated the efficacy of Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) in assessing nutritional status among medical oncology patients in Kochi, Kerala. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 500 medical oncology patients at a tertiary care hospital in Kochi. Nutritional status was assessed using body mass index (BMI), SGA, and GLIM criteria. Patients were classified based on BMI as underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. Based on SGA and GLIM, the patients were classified as malnourished or well-nourished, respectively. Results: The study findings revealed that 39% of patients had normal BMI, while 7%, 39%, and 38% were underweight, overweight, and obese, respectively. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancers accounted for 24% of diagnoses. SGA and GLIM identified similar proportions of well-nourished patients (around 50%). However, SGA detected more severe malnutrition cases than GLIM (23 vs. 49). The agreement between SGA and GLIM in identifying malnutrition was moderate (Cohen’s kappa = 0.468). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the utility of SGA and GLIM in nutritional assessment among medical oncology patients in Kerala. Our findings highlight the need for standardized nutritional screening protocols in oncology settings. The moderate agreement between SGA and GLIM suggests that both tools can be valuable in clinical practice, potentially complementing each other in comprehensive patient care. These results contribute to the growing body of research on nutritional assessment in cancer patients, particularly in the Indian context, where cancer incidence is increasing rapidly. Our study emphasizes the importance of nutritional assessment in oncology practice to improve treatment outcomes and QoL for patients in Kerala and similar settings.