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Nutritional Support for the Cancer Patient

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Oncology

Abstract

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome clinically manifest by progressive involuntary weight loss and diminished food intake and characterized by a variety of biochemical alterations. Importantly, cancer cachexia has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality and decreased response to therapy. The impact of cancer cachexia on patient outcome and healthcare resources continues to be significant. It is therefore important to identify those cancer patients who are malnourished in an attempt to reverse or at least abate the progression of malnutrition. The goal of nutritional supplementation is to translate repletion into clinical benefit, thereby decreasing morbidity or mortality and increasing the response rate to treatment. The focus of this chapter is to review the etiology of cancer cachexia, summarize the biologic and clinical effects of nutrition, define specific indications for nutrition in the cancer patient population, and explore new therapies available to reverse cancer cachexia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgical Oncology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA

    Lawrence E. Harrison MD (Associate Professor, Chief)

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgery Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Alfred E. Chang MD (Hugh Cabot Professor of Surgery and Chief) (Hugh Cabot Professor of Surgery and Chief)

  2. Breast Oncology Program, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Daniel F. Hayes MD (Clinical Director) (Clinical Director)

  3. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Harvey I. Pass MD (Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Head) (Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Head)

  4. Thoracic Oncology, New York University School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Harvey I. Pass MD (Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Head) (Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery and Head)

  5. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, USA

    Richard M. Stone MD (Associate Professor and Clinical Director) (Associate Professor and Clinical Director)

  6. Adult Leukemia Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Richard M. Stone MD (Associate Professor and Clinical Director) (Associate Professor and Clinical Director)

  7. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA, USA

    Patricia A. Ganz MD (American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor, Director and Professor) (American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor, Director and Professor)

  8. Schools of Public Health and Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Patricia A. Ganz MD (American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor, Director and Professor) (American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professor, Director and Professor)

  9. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Timothy J. Kinsella MD (Vincent K. Smith Professor and Chairman) (Vincent K. Smith Professor and Chairman)

  10. Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA

    Joan H. Schiller MD (Melanie Heald Professor of Medical Oncology) (Melanie Heald Professor of Medical Oncology)

  11. Health Media Research Laboratory, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, USA

    Victor J. Strecher PhD, MPH (Professor and Director and Associate Director) (Professor and Director and Associate Director)

  12. Cancer Prevention and Control, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Victor J. Strecher PhD, MPH (Professor and Director and Associate Director) (Professor and Director and Associate Director)

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Harrison, L.E. (2006). Nutritional Support for the Cancer Patient. In: Chang, A.E., et al. Oncology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-31056-8_84

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