Importance of Nutrition in the Treatment of Leukemia in Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Malnutrition has been identified as a prognostic factor in children and adolescents with leukemia. METHODS: A review of the data available on this topic has been carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In children and adolescents (0-19 years of age), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the commonest form of cancer worldwide and malnutrition is prevalent in this age group, especially in low- and middle-income countries where most of these young people live. Obesity, measured by body mass index, is associated with poorer survival rates in children and adolescents with ALL and acute myelogenous leukemia in high-income countries. In contrast, undernutrition is linked to poorer survival rates among young people with leukemia in low- and middle-income countries.