Evaluation of Nutritional Interventions in the Care Plan for Cancer Patients: The NOA Project

Nutrients. 2023 Jan 6;15(2):292. doi: 10.3390/nu15020292.

Abstract

The NOA (Oncological Nutrition in Andalusia) project analyses the degree of integration and areas of improvement in implementing nutritional support in the care plans of cancer patients in Andalusia. The aim was to analyse nutritional interventions for better care of cancer patients and for the improvement of the management of malnutrition in cancer. A prospective evaluation of the implementation of two areas of improvement in nutrition was conducted in three hospitals. Data were collected from each hospital over a six-month period using an online platform. A standardised care plan was designed for hospitals in Andalusia, in which proposed improvements were devised and prioritised, selecting nutritional screening in oncology services and the participation of the Nutrition Support Team (NST) on the tumour boards, as well as the assessment of the patients presented at these sessions. Our results indicated an increase in the number of medical records with nutritional evaluation results six months later, regardless of the type of tumour or hospitalisation; and there was greater participation of the NST on the tumour boards, mainly for head and neck and oesophagogastric cases. Solutions for improvement have been pinpointed and implemented that have positively impacted the nutritional care plan in the course of oncological disease.

Keywords: malnutrition; neoplasms; nutritional assessment; nutritional status; nutritional support.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Malnutrition* / diagnosis
  • Malnutrition* / prevention & control
  • Neoplasms* / complications
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Nutritional Status
  • Nutritional Support / methods

Grants and funding

This research was partially funded by Private Public Partnership of Nestlé Health Science Spain and the Health and Progress Foundation (Health Department of Andalusia). The APC was funded by the Fundación Pública Andaluza para la gestión de la Investigación en Salud de Sevilla.