Body mass index but not percentage weight loss was associated with the race/ethnicity of patients with advanced lung cancer: a cross-sectional study

In patients with advanced lung cancer, BMI and total weight loss but not percentage change in weight was significantly associated with self-identified race/ethnicity at the time of Palliative Medicine consultation. On multivariate analysis, the percentage loss in weight was significantly influenced by the weight at first encounter but not race/ethnicity. Racial/ethnic variations in BMI but not percentage weight loss should be accounted for when diagnosing cancer cachexia and more research is needed.