Exploring the relationship between dietary phytochemical index and chemotherapy-related symptoms: insights from a cross-sectional study

Phytochemicals may confer substantial benefits in alleviating chemotherapy-related symptoms. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the role of dietary phytochemicals on treatment-related symptoms in patients receiving chemotherapy. Data including demographic variables, anthropometric measures such as weight and height, 3-day food record, and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS), a composite measure of patients' chemotherapy-related symptoms, were gathered via face-to-face interviews. The dietary phytochemical index (DPI) was computed based on the patient's food records and presented by dividing into quartiles. The study included 152 participants with a mean age of 59.59 ± 13.19 years. The mean N-SAS score was 2.16 ± 0.80. The average DPI score for the entire group was 24.66 ± 6.55, significantly higher in women (26.61 ± 6.06) than men (23.05 ± 6.54) (p = 0.001). As the DPI quartile values increased, there was a statistically significant decrease in N-SAS scores (p = 0.002). A significantly negative correlation was found between the N-SAS score and DPI, as well as all cancers (r = −0.364; p < 0.001). Additionally, a negative correlation was observed between the N-SAS score and specific cancer types, comprising lung cancer (r = −0.513; p = 0.005), breast cancer (r = −0.612; p < 0.001), and gastrointestinal system (GIS) cancer (r = −0.329; p = 0.033). Increasing dietary phytochemicals in chemotherapy patients may help manage treatment-related symptoms. Phytochemicals may confer substantial benefits in alleviating chemotherapy-related symptoms. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the role of dietary phytochemicals on cancer-related symptoms in patients receiving chemotherapy. A significantly negative correlation was found between N-SAS score and DPI and all cancers (r = −0.364; p < 0.001) and different cancer types such as lung (r = −0.513; p = 0.005), breast (r = −0.612; p < 0.001), and GIS (r = −0.329; p = 0.033). As a result, increasing dietary phytochemicals in chemotherapy patients may help manage treatment-related symptoms.