The Institute leads a publication on malnutrition in digestive cancers

Principal investigator José M. Quintana is the lead author of this study conducted at the Galdakao, Basurto and Donostia hospitals.

José M. Quintana, PhD, principal investigator of Biosistemak’s Chronic Disease Health Services group, is the first author of this scientific paper published in the journal Nutrition. The study evaluates the relationship between malnutrition diagnosed using the MUST-GLIM (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition) criteria and various clinical outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal cancers such as oesophageal, stomach, pancreatic, colon or rectal cancer. It was conducted in three public hospitals in the Basque Country—Galdakao-Usansolo, Basurto, and Donostia—with the participation of the REDISSEC-Malnutrition Research Group, with funding from the Carlos III Health Institute, the Basque Government, and the REDISSEC and RICAPPS cooperative research networks.

Malnutrition increases the risk of mortality in the short and medium term

Of the 519 patients included, 54.5% were not malnourished, 23.5% were moderately malnourished and 22% were severely malnourished according to GLIM. Multivariate analyses showed that moderate and severe malnutrition are associated with an increased risk of mortality at 90 days and one year. Specifically, patients with moderate and severe malnutrition had more than double the risk of dying at 90 days, and those with severe malnutrition had a 68% higher risk of dying within a year. However, malnutrition did not influence 30-day mortality, 90-day hospital readmissions, infectious complications, or changes in nutritional measures during hospitalisation.

The clinical stage of cancer was also taken into account, finding that more advanced stages (III and IV) are associated with a worse prognosis than early stages (I-II).

Implications for clinical practice and public health

These findings highlight the usefulness of GLIM in predicting mortality in gastrointestinal cancers, prioritising early nutritional interventions such as adapted diets or oral supplements. They promote more equitable care for chronic and cancer patients, improving their prognosis and quality of life.

Approved by the Basque Country Clinical Research Ethics Committee, this advance consolidates the role of Biosistemak and Osakidetza in cooperative networks on chronicity, positioning the Basque Country as a benchmark in oncological nutrition and health service evaluation.

Article reference:

Quintana JM, Larrea N, Martin J, Bolinaga I, Sarasqueta C, Perales A, Iglesias NC, Yoldi A, Garcia Y; REDISSEC-Malnutrition Research Group. Impact of GLIM-criteria-defined malnutrition on outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Nutrition. 2025 Oct 4;142:112980. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2025.112980. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41202516.