Clinical nutrition in oncology: Polish recommendations

Abstract

Malnutrition affects a large part of patients with malignant neoplasm. Proper nutritional treatment determines the effectiveness and success of therapy in these patients. Given the importance of this issue, thanks to the collaboration of scientific societies: Polish Society of Surgical Oncology (PTChO), Polish Society of Oncology (PTO), Polish Society of Clinical Oncology (PTOK) and Polish Society for Parenteral, Enteral Nutrition and Metabolism (POLSPEN) standards for nutritional therapy in oncology have been set. An introduction to nutritional therapy is the correct identification of malnourished patients. In Poland, hospitalized patients are subject to screening towards malnutrition. Nutrition intervention should be tailored to the clinical situation. It involves the use of dietary advice, use of oral diet products (oral nutritional support), enteral or parenteral nutrition, in hospital or in home, in consideration of special situations.