From guidelines to clinical practice: a roadmap for oncologists for nutrition therapy for cancer patients

Maurizio Muscaritoli; Jann Arends; Matti Aapro

doi:10.1177/1758835919880084

From guidelines to clinical practice: a roadmap for oncologists for nutrition therapy for cancer patients

Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2019 Nov 13:11:1758835919880084. doi: 10.1177/1758835919880084. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Maurizio Muscaritoli¹, Jann Arends², Matti Aapro³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 37, Rome 00185, Italy.
² Department of Medicine I, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
³ Cancer Center, Clinique de Genolier, Genolier, Switzerland.

Abstract

Tackling malnutrition in cancer patients remains one of the most challenging tasks in clinical practice. Even though robust evidence exists stressing the role of nutritional status in relation to treatment outcome, its appropriate consideration in clinical practice is often lacking. In this review, we discuss the significance of nutritional status and of malnutrition for the cancer patient. Drawn from experience and from current recommendations of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN), we propose concrete and manageable steps to routinely incorporate nutritional aspects in today's oncological clinical practice.

Keywords: ESPEN guidelines; cachexia; clinical nutrition; malnutrition; nutritional status; oncology.

Publication types

Review