Impact of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Treatment on the Nutritional Status of Paediatric Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most prevalent cancer in childhood and is one of the leading causes of death annually. Antineoplastic treatments are associated with a high risk of malnutrition, which is important for continuous growth and development.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effect of these treatments on the nutritional status of paediatric patients with ALL. Data were collected from the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) method. All the studies in which nutritional status was assessed in human beings diagnosed with ALL up to 18 years and published in English or Spanish between January 1900 and December 2023 were included.

Results: A total of 18 articles and 1692 participants were analysed in this review. Article quality was evaluated using the ROBINS-I tool. This systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024505111). ALL treatment has a negative impact on the nutritional status of these patients and played an important role in their growth and global development. ALL treatments can modify hunger perception and the palatability of food.

Conclusions: Nutritional status is important for patient prognosis and survival. Nutritional evaluation, a specific nutritional assessment, and follow-up should be recommended for these patients to decrease the nutritional impact on global health. More homogeneous studies must be conducted to reach robust conclusions regarding the best type of nutritional intervention for these patients.