Lidia Santarpia & Franco Contaldo & Fabrizio Pasanisi: Nutritional screening and early treatment of malnutrition in cancer patients. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle DOI 10.1007/s13539-011-0022-x
1. Social demography (gender, age, professional status, and living conditions)
2. Primary tumor (site, disease stage at diagnosis) and the management of the disease (previous and on-going treatments)
3. Anthropometry (actual weight, body mass index [BMI, the weight in kilograms divided by the height in centimeters squared], usual healthy body weight, unintentional weight loss since the start of the illness, or appearance of the first symptoms; weight loss during the last week, the last month, and over the last 6 months;
4. Clinical examination, Subjective Global Assessment and Karnofsky Index (evaluating functional capacity)
5. Biochemical data: serum albumin, prealbumin, total lymphocyte count cholesterol, C reactive protein (CRP), pseudocholinesterase (PChE)
Abstract Background Malnutrition is a frequent complication in patients with cancer and can negatively affect the outcome of treatments. On the other hand, side effects of anticancer therapies can also lead to inadequate nutrient intake and subsequent malnutrition. The nutritional screening aims to identify patients at risk of malnutrition for prompt treatment and/or careful follow-up. Methods and results This manuscript highlights the need of an interdisciplinary approach (oncologist, nutritionist, dietitian, psychologist, etc.) to empower patients who are experiencing loss of physiological and biological function, fatigue, malnutrition, psychological distress, etc., as a result of cancer disease or its treatment, and maintain an acceptable quality of life. Conclusions It is necessary to make all healthcare professionals aware of the opportunity to identify cancer patients at risk of malnutrition early in order to plan the best possible intervention and follow-up during cancer treatment and progression.