Background/objectives The assessment of nutritional status and the quality of life in patients with gastric cancer has become one of the important goals of current clinical treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status in hospitalized gastric cancer patients by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to analyze the influence of nutritional status on the patients’ quality of life (QOL). Methods We reviewed the pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer for 2322 hospitalized patients using PG-SGA to assess their nutritional status and collected data on clinical symptoms, the anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC), triceps skin-fold thickness (TSF), and hand-grip strength (HGS). We also collected laboratory data (prealbumin, albumin, hemoglobin) within 48 h after the patient was admitted to the hospital. The 30-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used for QOL assessment in all patients. Results By using PG-SGA, we found 80.4% of the patients were malnourished (score ≥ 4) and 45.1% of the patients required urgent nutritional support (score ≥ 9). In univariate analysis, old age (> 65 years, p < 0.001), female (p = 0.007), residence in a village (p = 0.004), a lower level of education (p < 0.001), and self-paying (p < 0.001) were indicated as risk factors of patients with gastric cancer to be suffering from severe malnutrition. There was a negative correlation between PG-SGA and various nutritional parameters (p < 0.05). The quality of life was significantly different in gastric cancer patients with different nutritional status (p < 0.01). Conclusion Malnutrition of hospitalized patients with gastric cancer in China is common and seriously affects the patients’ quality of life. The nutritional status should be evaluated in a timely manner and reasonable nutritional intervention should be provided as soon as possible. The PG-SGA was fit for using as a clinical nutrition assessment method, being worthy of clinical application.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of high-dose vitamin C plus FOLFOX ± bevacizumab versus FOLFOX ± bevacizumab as first-line treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients and Methods: Between 2017 and 2019, histologically confirmed patients with mCRC (n = 442) with normal glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase status and no prior treatment for metastatic disease were randomized (1:1) into a control (FOLFOX ± bevacizumab) and an experimental [high-dose vitamin C (1.5 g/kg/d, intravenously for 3 hours from D1 to D3) plus FOLFOX ± bevacizumab] group. Randomization was based on the primary tumor location and bevacizumab prescription. Results: The progression-free survival (PFS) of the experimental group was not superior to the control group [median PFS, 8.6 vs. 8.3 months; HR, 0.86; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70–1.05; P = 0.1]. The objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) of the experimental and control groups were similar (ORR, 44.3% vs. 42.1%; P = 0.9; median OS, 20.7 vs. 19.7 months; P = 0.7). Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events occurred in 33.5% and 30.3% of patients in the experimental and control groups, respectively. In prespecified subgroup analyses, patients with RAS mutation had significantly longer PFS (median PFS, 9.2 vs. 7.8 months; HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50–0.91; P = 0.01) with vitamin C added to chemotherapy than with chemotherapy only. Conclusions: High-dose vitamin C plus chemotherapy failed to show superior PFS compared with chemotherapy in patients with mCRC as first-line treatment but may be beneficial in patients with mCRC harboring RAS mutation.

Liver cancer remains a significant public health issue in China, exhibiting high incidence, mortality, and burden. Understanding its temporal trends and projections is essential for designing targeted prevention and treatment strategies. This study analyzes long-term trends in liver cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden from 1990 to 2021, assessing age, period, and cohort effects, and projecting future trends. Data on liver cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost (YLLs) were analyzed from 1990 to 2021. Joinpoint regression analysis, age-period-cohort (APC) analysis, and BAPC modeling were applied to examine trends and project future trends. Decomposition analysis examined contributions of aging, epidemiological changes, and population growth. The study also compared China’s liver cancer trends with global data. From 1990 to 2021, China experienced a decrease in age-standardized rates for liver cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden. Notably, Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) exhibited a decline after 2016, with a significant reduction in the male population. In 2021, there were 196,637 new cases of liver cancer in China, with a higher burden in males. ASIR were 14.34 per 100,000 for males and 4.89 per 100,000 for females. Mortality also followed a declining trend, with a notable decrease in age-standardized mortality rates. The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for males was 12.4 per 100,000, significantly higher than for females (4.57 per 100,000) in 2021. Additionally, the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) was 20.0 for males and 6.64 for females, with 265,539 total cases. The burden, measured by DALYs, YLDs, and YLLs, also showed a notable decline in age-standardized rates and significant gender disparities. Despite this, the absolute number of cases, deaths, and DALYs has continued to rise due to population growth and aging, with males bearing a significantly higher burden than females. The study also highlights the impact of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes on liver cancer incidence and mortality in China. Projections for 2030 suggest a continued decrease in liver cancer incidence, especially among females, reflecting the effectiveness of public health interventions and medical advancements. However, gender disparities remain significant, and further efforts are needed to reduce the overall liver cancer burden, with an emphasis on early detection and prevention strategies.

Background: The level of the systemic inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is elevated in many patients with malignant disease and may be related to nutritional status. Objective: To analyze the association between serum CRP levels in patients with malignant tumors and their nutritional status. Method: A total of 3,692 cases were analyzed and the serum CRP levels were determined using an immunometric assay. Nutritional status was assessed by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA). The biochemical evaluation of prealbumin (PA), albumin (ALB), cholesterol (CHOL), and triglycerides (TG) were assayed within 48 h admission to the hospital. The association between serum CRP concentration and the nutritional status, the stage of the tumor and other factors was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Result: Elevated serum CRP was observed in 47.6% (1,548/3,269) of patients compared with the reference value, and the median CRP concentration was 18.29 mg/l. Patient serum CRP concentrations in the malnourished group (PG-SGA B + C) were higher than in the well-nourished (PG-SGA A) patients (P < 0.05). The serum CRP level was related to the patients' age, gender, tumor stage, and was affected by hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, but it has no effect on hypertension. The CRP high patients had lower PA and ALB levels, lower Karnofsky performance status scores, and higher PG-SGA scores (P < 0.05), and there was no relationship with CHOL and TG levels. Weight loss in the previous 1 mo was seen with CRP positive patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Almost 50% of malignant tumor patients had elevated serum CRP levels indicating a systemic inflammatory state. The nutritional status was worse in cancer patients with higher concentrations of serum CRP. The level of CRP was associated with the tumor stage, and, as stage is a prognostic factor, so can CRP be used as a prognostic maker in malignant tumors patients.