Home » Cancer, half of the patients suffer from malnutrition

Cancer, half of the patients suffer from malnutrition

by admin

HALF of cancer patients suffer from some form of malnutrition. And almost 20% die “of hunger” even before the disease. An innovative therapy would therefore be, first of all, good nutrition, capable of improving prognosis, quality of life and preventing the reappearance of the disease. This new, yet apparently banal, frontier of the well-being of cancer patients was the focus of the first Policy seminar organized as part of the European campaign “Optimal nutritional care for all” (Onca) promoted by European nutrition for health alliance and European society for clinical nutrition and metabolism, which brings together 19 European countries. The event has just ended in Genoa, within the Sinpe National Congress (Italian Society of Artificial Nutrition and Metabolism). “It is necessary to raise awareness of the policy on this issue, in order to break down the barriers that prevent patients from accessing good quality nutritional care – he explains Antonella Lezo, medical director at the City of Health and Science of Turin and coordinator of the Onca Italia team – numerous studies show that the cancer patient has an evident benefit in improving his nutritional status, but this cannot be a spontaneous process or managed at the level artisanal: immediate care by a dietician and dietician is necessary “.

The many causes of malnutrition

In fact, during chemotherapy cycles, patients often have little appetite, nausea, altered tastes: this contributes to decreasing muscle tone and making them more fragile. “Malnutrition is a medical condition linked to the imbalance between supplies and needs: in the case of the cancer patient it is due to many causes, effects of therapies – emphasizes Lezo – but losing lean mass involves the loss of functions and a worsening in the ability to deal with the pathology at best. We always say that any oncologist would never give up a therapy that adds a few days to the patient’s life, and all studies show that feeding them well adds life ”. Depending on the case, therefore, it is possible to integrate the patient’s nutrition with food for special medical purposes, which can be administered by mouth, or through tubes and drips.

See also  To eliminate the low belly and reduce the waistline, these 5 exercises for men and women even over 40 would be useful

Nutrition as a supportive therapy

“With cancer patients we need to act on two fundamental aspects, at the same time – he underlines Alessandro Laviano, associate professor of Internal Medicine in the Department of Translational and Precision Medicine at the Sapienza University of Rome – one of these is therapy that acts directly on cancer cells, through surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. But, at the same time, supportive therapy is needed, which serves to increase the patient’s resistance: that is, good nutrition, psychological, socio-economic support, pain control. The problem is that, up to now, there has been little attention to these latter aspects ”. The challenge is to change approach, focusing – also – on the value of nutrition.

Obesity and malnutrition

But why is there so little attention to nutrition today? “In general, cancer patients are often obese or in any case overweight – explains Laviano – therefore, the first perception is that there is no malnourished cancer patient. But this is not the case: in reality there is a subversion of body composition: little muscle mass compared to fat. And this determines a worsening of the outcomes of the treatments “. The good news is that malnutrition – a real comorbidity – can be corrected by intervening early. Furthermore, with considerable savings for the health system. “A Swiss study – concludes Laviano – demonstrates how by ensuring 10-15 grams of protein per day there is a positive effect on quality of life and mortality. A gap that can be bridged with an intervention costing just 5 or 6 euros per day “.

See also  Renato Pozzetto urgently hospitalized, the reaction of his son Giacomo is a stab in the heart

.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy