Malnutrition in Cancer Patients - An Investigation of Malnutrition and Professional Intervention by Healthcare Professionals in Oncology.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cancer and its treatments often lead to patient malnutrition. The aim of the study was to identify the difficulties that cancer patients face in relation to their nutrition, to determine the importance of nutrition in their daily lives and to identify the reasons for their weight loss. In addition, the study aimed to capture the perspectives of the healthcare professionals and determine how the nutritional status of the individual patients plays a role in everyday clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using an interview guide with open questions, structured interviews were conducted with ten patients who had suffered unintentional weight loss of more than 5% in the last three to six months, five nurses, and five doctors on an oncology ward in Bad Hersfeld hospital. Responses were analysed qualitatively using Mayring's content analysis method. RESULTS: All patients reported diet-related symptoms. The main causes cited were side effects of treatment. All patients had questions about their nutrition. Healthcare professionals indicated that the patients considered the problem of malnutrition to be high, but that there was no uniform treatment concept or general screening. Perceptions of interdisciplinary communication were mixed. There was a lack of information regarding sources of information and counselling services among both professional groups. CONCLUSION: Standardised interviews should be conducted as part of treatment to identify individual patient problems. As there has been no standardised approach to detection, prevention and treatment, an interdisciplinary reassessment and discussion of treatment issues is required to understand and address the complex problem of malnutrition.