The effect of nutritional support on nutritional status, quality of life, and survival in cancer patients receiving systemic anticancer therapy

Abstract

Malnutrition, a common problem among cancer patients, due to the direct influence of the tumor and the consequences of specific therapy, negatively affects the patients quality of life and is detrimental to the results of anticancer treatment. Nutritional support plays a vital role in systemic drug anticancer therapy; however, malnutrition that develops against a background of malignant neoplasms remains underestimated and receives little attention in clinical practice. To assess the need for and safety of nutritional support in this context, an analysis of publications in the medical databases e-Library, PubMed, and Medline was performed with an emphasis on assessing the safety and efficacy of NP in the presence of systemic drug antitumor treatment for the period 20032022 using the keywords oncology, chemotherapy, nutritional support, omega-3 fatty acids, and glutamine. The obtained data show that patients with cancer have anorexia-cachexia syndrome, leading to the development of sarcopenia, which negatively affects the results of specific therapy. Timely appointment of nutritional support significantly improves the results of treatment, as well as quality of life, and increases the survival rate in patients receiving non-surgical anticancer therapy; moreover, nutritional support administered in parallel with anticancer drug therapy improves treatment results.