One in three cancer patients with weight loss are never seen by a dietitian or provided with nutritional advice, according to a new study. Almost 90 per cent of those surveyed described nutritional support and advice as very important or extremely important to them. “Cancer patients have the highest rate and severity of malnutrition of any patient group, yet even those with evident serious nutritional problems are frequently not receiving the right information, advice or support at the right time.”IrSPEN director Niamh Rice pointed out that many cancer patients struggle to maintain weight, and so early nutritional care, advice and support is vital. “This as a critical concern and we are calling on all healthcare professionals working with cancer patients to pay greater attention to nutritional problems such as loss of appetite. Even modest weight loss increases the risk of treatment side effects and poorer outcomes.”The appointment of additional dietitians should be a priority, she said.

Source: The Irish Times March 28, 2019 13:30 UTC