Renowned experts from European Medical and Patient Associations stressed the importance of nutrition in cancer care contributing to patients’ treatment efficacy and quality of life in a policy seminar held earlier this month. They called upon key stakeholders to join forces for this purpose and launched 7 actionable recommendations.

A poor nutritional status can worsen treatment outcomes, cause avoidable complications and reduce patients’ quality of life. It is estimated that 10-20% of cancer patients die due to malnutrition rather than from cancer itself. Yet only 30-60% of patients receive nutritional support according to studies. The cost of malnutrition in cancer care in the EU amounts to 17bio€ per year.

During the seminar experts proposed solutions for the implementation of optimal nutrition throughout the cancer patient journey.

According to Alessandro Laviano, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Sapienza University Rome and representative of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN), early nutritional support can enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments and improve outcomes, including patients’ survival and quality of life. Prof. Laviano presented a compelling case for making nutritional care a standard component of cancer care, with screening for nutritional changes enabling prompt intervention at the first sign of problems.

Nicole Erickson, member of the oncology expert advisory board of the European Federation of Associations of Dieticians (EFAD), emphasized the need of multidisciplinary teams to include a specialized oncology dietician ensuring patients’ access to dietetic advice which is currently not always the case.

Matti Aapro, President of the European Cancer Organisation (ECO), highlighted that the science concerning the importance of nutrition for cancer patients is clear and therefore it is pivotal to convince Oncologists and collaboratively address decision makers.

Finally, Ken Mastris, President of the European Cancer Patients Coalition (ECPC), concluded “The right to high-quality cancer care must include optimal nutritional care, whereas at present, many patients across Europe cannot get access to the care or the nutritional support they need due to underfunding of dietetic services, or lack of reimbursement of vital nutritional care. The issues of access must be addressed urgently and aligned with policy commitments for equitable, high-quality cancer care’.

At the seminar, a joint Call to Action with 7 actionable recommendations was launched which can be downloaded at www.european-nutrition.org/recommendations

With over 2,7 million new cancer cases each year in Europe, it is imperative for member states to take action for access to early nutritional interventions. Collaboration between key stakeholders, policy makers, medical societies, patient groups and industry is required to ensure this goal is achieved, contributing to better quality of life and higher survival rates for patients.

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