• 3/22/2007
  • New York, NY
  • staff
  • Cancer Page (www.cancerpage.com)

An intensive nutrition counseling program significantly improves dietary intake in radiation oncology patients, according to a report in the March issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

“Nutritional issues need to be considered during the planning stages of a patient’s treatment, as we know they impact on outcomes,” Dr. Elisabeth A. Isenring from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia told Reuters Health. “We know it is easier to minimize deteriorations in nutritional status rather than treating patients who are already malnourished.”

Dr. Isenring and colleagues investigated the impact of a nutritional intervention using the American Dietetic Association’s medical nutrition therapy protocol for radiation oncology compared with standard practice.

The dietary intake of protein, energy and fiber was assessed in 54 subjects at baseline and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The patients were undergoing radiotherapy for cancers in the gastrointestinal or head and neck area.

At the end of 12 weeks, the nutrition intervention group had significantly higher mean energy and protein intakes, and a nonsignificant increase in fiber intake, compared with the standard practice group, the researchers report.

More patients in the nutrition intervention group than in the standard practice group were assessed as well-nourished and fewer were assessed as malnourished.

Compared with the standard practice group, the nutrition intervention group experienced a significantly smaller decrease and faster recovery in global quality of life and physical function, the report indicates.

“We recommend having effective nutritional screening and intervention pathways in place so that patients who are already undernourished or at high nutritional risk can be seen by a dietitian and receive appropriate nutrition support,” Dr. Isenring said.

“We are currently developing evidence-based guidelines for the nutritional management of patients receiving radiotherapy to be endorsed by the Dietitians Association of Australia,” she added.

In an accompanying editorial, Dianne Kiyomoto from the California Cancer Center, Fresno, comments: “Head and neck cancer survivors, especially those with pharyngeal cancer, are high risk and can benefit from early and continued individualized nutrition interventions with a registered dietitian, starting before therapy begins, continuing through therapy, and after completion for at least 1 year or up to 3 years or more.”

“All outpatient cancer care programs need to have in place a nutrition supportive care service staffed by a registered oncology dietitian, who is easily accessible and can work with patients and their families, especially those who are identified as being at high nutrition risk,” Kiyomoto concluded.

Source:
J Am Diet Assoc 2007;107:404-415.