ArticleCurrent oncology (Toronto, Ont.)2024
Symptom Burden and Dietary Changes Among Older Adults with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Association Between Taste Disorders and Malnutrition in Older Adults: A Scoping Review.Nutrition reviews · 2026Article
- Not All Weight Loss Is Equal: Divergent Patterns and Prognostic Roles in Head and Neck Cancer Versus High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Exploring Factors Influencing Dietary Management in Chinese Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Based on the COM-B Model: A Qualitative Study.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundMalnutrition has a direct impact on both the toxicities of cancer therapy and the overall survival of oncological patients. However, its prevalence amongst vulnerable groups such as older patients (age ≥ 65 years) is often underestimated. Screening tools recognizing patients at risk are well established, yet they do not take into account that cancer therapy may lead to changes in dietary habits or that therapy's side effects may negatively influence nutritional status.
methodsTo close this gap, we combined the validated Nutritional Risk Score 2002 (NRS-2002) and G8 screening tools with short questionnaires addressing diet changes and symptom load and screened 300 cancer inpatients between 12/2022 and 12/2023. Descriptive statistics (Fisher's exact, Student's
resultsOverall, two in three inpatients ≥65 years were at risk for malnutrition, and the majority of patients (87.67%) scored ≤14 points on the G8 and were considered frail. Surprisingly, the symptom complex of oral discomfort was most often mentioned by patients (xerostomia-178/300 patients, loss of appetite: 122/300 patients, dysgeusia: 93/300 patients). Diet changes were also common, with patients mainly avoiding certain foods (122/300 patients) or using dietary supplements (106/300 patients).
conclusionsTaken together, older cancer inpatients are frail and have a high risk of malnutrition. Screening should not only consider energy intake but also symptom burden and dietary changes to optimize supportive care.
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