Why We Should Look at Dinner Plates: Diet Changes in Cancer Patients

Objective: Malnutrition is often underestimated in the context of cancer therapy: the dietary trends initiated by patients after diagnosis are usually neither known to nor evaluated by the medical staff. Here, we propose a combined screening instrument evaluating malnutrition and dietary trends. Methods: The validated screening tool NRS-2002 was combined with a four-item questionnaire assessing whether (1) patients preferred certain foods, (2) avoided certain foods, (3) used dietary supplements or followed a special diet since the time of cancer diagnosis. The screening tool was routinely used by cancer patients in the daily practice of three oncological departments. The presented analysis was performed retrospectively and anonymized. Results: Overall, 102 cancer patients undergoing systemic therapy (CP), 97 undergoing radiation therapy (RP), and 36 head–neck cancer patients (HNP) were screened. The CP cohort showed a higher rate of malnutrition (50.00%) than the HNP (28.13%) or RP (26.80%) cohort. Overall, diet changes were observed in 33.63% of all patients. Avoiding meat, stimulants, or hard and edgy food was often mentioned in free text answers, while patients reported a preference for fruit and vegetables. Nutritional supplements were used by 28.76% of the patients. While dietary changes were common, only 6.64% of the patients mentioned adhering to a specific cancer diet. Conclusion: Malnutrition is still underestimated nowadays. Diet trends, especially avoiding certain foods, are common in cancer patients, while adhering to a specific cancer diet is an exception. Diet trends should be assessed and addressed to avoid or aggravate malnutrition.