Assessment of host-related factors is a crucial aspect in the comprehensive management of
cancer patients. A distinct nutritional disturbance linked to
cancer has been recognized to be associated with negative outcomes. However, compared to solid
tumors, only a limited number of studies have looked specifically at nutritional issues in the field of
lymphoma. The aim of this review is to integrate the current knowledge on interactions between
malnutrition and
lymphoma and address most relevant and pertinent questions. We first provide a literature review on the mutual biological relationship between
malnutrition and
lymphoma. Next, we explore the overlap between
malnutrition,
sarcopenia,
cachexia and
frailty in
lymphoma studies. In addition, we summarize the clinical assessment scales used to measure
malnutrition in
lymphoma subjects. Furthermore, we address the problem of nutritional interventions aimed at patients who are candidates for treatment for
lymphoma.
Malnutrition can arise as a consequence of
lymphoma disease and can in turn promote lymphomagenesis, negatively affect the response to
therapy and favor adverse event to treatment. There is increasing evidence that
malnutrition,
sarcopenia and
cachexia in
lymphoma are intimately inter-related and are a hallmark of
frailty. A variety of different tools are recorded with the apparent ability to describe nutritional status and to impact prognosis in
lymphoma patients. Finally, a network of prognostic host- and disease-related factors is proposed where
malnutrition can interact with each other in complex ways.