Pathophysiology, Evaluation, and Management of Malnutrition in Hematologic Malignancies: A Comprehensive Review

By:
Mengting Yang, Xushu Zhong, Yutong He, Yang Dai, Qiaolin Zhou, Wenyi Liang, Zhuohang Zou, Yushuang Xiao, Luocheng Zhang, He Li, Ailin Zhao, Ting Niu
Date:
2026

The article provides a comprehensive review of malnutrition in patients with hematologic malignancies, emphasizing its role as a critical yet underrecognized determinant of treatment outcomes. The review explains that malnutrition in hematologic cancers extends beyond inadequate caloric intake and reflects a complex state of immunometabolic vulnerability driven by tumor-induced inflammation, treatment-related toxicities, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and psychosocial stress. The authors discuss how chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), CAR-T therapies, and prolonged immune suppression contribute to metabolic disruption, muscle wasting, immune dysfunction, and impaired recovery.