that’s why it is important and what you can do – breaking latest news

Before even starting treatment, more than 6 out of 10 cancer patients lost weight and half were at risk of malnutrition or already undernourished: this leads to more probabilities of surgical complications, less effective therapies, greater toxicity and a worsening quality of life. of patients. A set of problems that very often results in reduced survival, especially for patients with a head-neck or gastrointestinal cancer. For this reason, it is fundamental, right from the diagnosis, to pay attention to weight and nutrition trends: both oncology specialists and those directly involved and family members should not underestimate the onset of difficulty in eating or the loss of several kilos. The solutions available to ensure a fair dose of food, in fact, are many (starting with food for special medical purposes), but not all people who need it are now recognized the right to receive appropriate nutritional support.

Define an equal procedure for all patients

In order to overcome the critical issues existing in our country, a Consensus Document was recently drawn up, the result of the joint work of numerous specialists and promoted by NHSc (Nestl Health Science), which through 13 key points aims to improve the management of the entire path , starting from the level of training and awareness on the part of clinicians and the need for the early involvement of an expert in clinical nutrition within the multidisciplinary team, in order to promptly intercept the most at-risk cases and intervene in the most appropriate way. To standardize the management of nutritional problems, ensuring timely and effective interventions for all patients, it is necessary to define treatment paths and shared protocols that establish the roles and responsibilities of all the actors involved in the management of the malnourished cancer patient – explains Paolo Bossi, oncologist and associate professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Brescia -. A correct approach should include standardized screening protocols that help in the definition of situations at high risk of malnutrition for which counseling or nutritional intervention is always provided, according to the approach recommended by the guidelines of scientific societies. Furthermore, the identification of a reference figure who, according to the phases of illness and treatment, guarantees the appropriateness of the patient’s nutritional path and the evaluation of nutritional support. Finally, it is recommended to organize computerized records that allow the rapid calculation of the “score” for the definition of the patient’s nutritional status and facilitate the exchange of information between the experts of the multidisciplinary team.

Nutritional screening at diagnosis

An observational study conducted in Italy on almost 2 thousand patients showed that more than 50% had nutritional deficiencies, 9% were in a state of malnutrition and 43% were at risk of malnutrition already at the time of the first oncological visit. Even in cases in which a state of malnutrition is diagnosed, about half of the cases are not treated or are not treated adequately. And malnutrition has been associated by numerous studies with worsening quality of life, increased complication rates or worse post-operative outcomes, prolonged hospital stay, decreased tolerance to anticancer treatments and increased toxicity. often leads to pre-term suspension of care. And all of this, of course, can lead to lower survival from the disease. The timely diagnosis of a fundamental nutritional problem to ensure the correct management of cancer patients – underlines Riccardo Caccialanza, director of the Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Unit at the IRCCS Polyclinic San Matteo Foundation in Pavia -. Early interception of nutritional problems is essential for setting up appropriate and effective support: if started at the time of diagnosis or as soon as the risk of malnutrition is detected, in fact, supportive therapy can improve both the quality of life and survival of the sick. . Nutritional screening should be performed at the time of diagnosis and repeated systematically at regular intervals throughout the course of the disease, especially in patients who are most at risk of malnutrition due to their type of cancer, stage of disease or treatment undertaken.

What causes weight loss

Excessive weight loss (which should be evaluated as a vital parameter right from the diagnosis of cancer)

it can depend on several factors: decreased appetite, difficulty swallowing, digestive problems or impaired ability to absorb nutrients, but anxiety, fear and depression can also contribute to some extent. Furthermore, inflammation of the oral cavity, intestinal disorders, a sense of nausea are just some of the most frequent side effects caused by anti-cancer treatments, which can significantly worsen the lives of patients and even those who recover. In order to define the Consensus Document, with the aim of proposing a new and optimal management model for the patient with head-neck and gastrointestinal neoplasia, an analysis of the state of the art in Italy was carried out with regard to the management of clinical nutrition in oncology and the main problems that characterize the different phases, the different actors involved and the possible improvement actions have been identified. The 13 key points, established by specialists and patient representatives, also concern the adequate training of health professionals, the presence of an expert in clinical nutrition in the multidisciplinary team, the need to implement both home artificial nutrition when necessary and the access to nutritional support in those who need it.