Malnutrition, including undernutrition and overnutrition, affects survival, treatment response, and quality of life in children with cancer. However, its prevalence, trajectory, and clinical impact remain underexplored. This non-randomized pilot feasibility study evaluated the feasibility of comprehensive nutritional data collection and documented nutritional status from diagnosis through treatment in 38 children (<18 years) with pediatric cancer or Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in New Zealand (June 2022-September 2023). Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical data were collected at diagnosis and four follow-up points. Micronutrient abnormalities, including excesses and deficiencies, were highly prevalent, peaking at 3 months post-diagnosis (95%) and declining by month 12 (55%). Patients experienced reduced linear growth ( = .013) and increasing BMI over time ( = .03). Micronutrient status was significantly associated with malnutrition risk scores (SCAN and STRONGkids;  < .001), BMI-for-age z-scores, and weight status (BMI-for-age percentiles). Treatment complications were associated with micronutrient status ( < .001), weight status ( = .016), and malnutrition risk scores ( < .001). Nutritional challenges in pediatric cancer extend beyond weight changes to include micronutrient imbalances and clinical consequences. Routine nutritional assessment and targeted interventions, such as dietary optimization, micronutrient supplementation, and physical activity programs, are essential to improving treatment tolerance, recovery, and long-term health outcomes.

To develop a predictive model for nutritional risk in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and identify clinically meaningful ranges for key risk factors to guide early intervention.

This study examined the associations of fat mass index (FMI) and fat free mass index (FFMI) with metabolic syndrome (MetS), cachexia, and all-cause mortality in cancer patients, given the limited existing evidence on these relationships.

Sarcopenia, malnutrition, and frailty frequently coexist in older adults with cancer, adversely affecting treatment tolerance, functional independence, and survival. While comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is the gold standard for frailty evaluation, its resource-intensive nature limits routine use, and simple tools are needed. This cross-sectional study included 291 patients aged ≥70 years with histologically confirmed cancer, evaluated at a oncology outpatient clinic between January and November 2024. Sarcopenia was defined according to EWGSOP2 criteria: handgrip strength (HGS) and skeletal muscle index (SMI) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Nutritional status was assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), and frailty was defined as G8 ≤ 14. Additional measures included SARC-F, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Geriatric Depression Scale. The median age was 74 years, and 53% were male. Possible sarcopenia was identified in 39.5%, confirmed sarcopenia in 33.7%, severe sarcopenia in 26.8%. Nutritional risk was observed in 66.7%, and frailty in 44.7%. Frailty correlated strongly with nutritional status and moderately with muscle strength and mass. In multivariable analysis, low HGS, low SMI, nutritional risk, and depression independently predicted frailty. ROC analysis showed, G8 with HGS and nutritional assessment improved predictive accuracy. These findings highlight that simple measures enhance frailty detection and may support personalized care.

Malnutrition commonly occurs in patients with esophageal cancer (EC) and head and neck cancers (HNCs), adversely affecting clinical outcomes. The comparative effectiveness of nutritional screening tools in predicting prolonged length of stay (PLOS) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission in this population remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of various nutritional screening techniques in predicting the hospital and ICU LOS of patients with HNCs/EC. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 374 patients aged ≥18 years with EC/HNC who underwent first-time surgery between January 2013 and December 2023. Nutritional status was assessed using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), Controlling Nutritional Status (COUNT), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI). Patients were classified into low-risk and high-to-moderate-risk groups. The outcomes included ICU stay >2 days and PLOS (>16 days). The COUNT, GNRI, and PNI were significantly associated with ICU stays >2 days and PLOS. The PNI had the highest predictive accuracy (ICU >2 days: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 8.44; area under the ROC curve [AUC-ROC] = 0.864; PLOS: aOR = 6.39; AUC-ROC = 0.859). The PNI, COUNT, and GNRI effectively predicted ICU stay and PLOS among surgical patients with EC and HNC.

This study explores the use of nutrition supplements by Jordanian cancer patients regarding symptoms of quality of life. It explores the prevalence of the use of nutrition supplements by cancer patients and the related demographic and disease-specific factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on cancer patients at three major hospitals in Jordan. A total of 220 participants completed structured questionnaires. The EORTC QLQ-C15 scale was used to collect data on supplement usage patterns and quality of life. Chi-square tests and regression analysis were performed to assess the association between supplement use and QoL outcomes. Supplement use was noted in 65.9% of participants; the most used supplements were vitamin D, calcium, and omega-3. Supplement use was significantly associated with age, gender, income, and education level but showed a positive association between supplement use and improved QoL ( = 0.028). The findings suggest that the use of supplements is associated with improved quality of life among cancer patients in Jordan. It is important to consider integrating patient education and professional guidance regarding safe supplement use into cancer care. Further, longitudinal studies are needed to generalize these findings and to explore the long-term effect of supplements on QoL.

Malnutrition is common among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and may diminish the survival benefits of immunotherapy. We aimed to evaluate the association between nutritional status-assessed using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) at initiation of first-line therapy and overall survival in patients with advanced NSCLC receiving immunotherapy.

Foods that are industrially created and/or heavily manipulated in the manufacturing process are conceptualized as ultra processed foods (UPFs), reflecting an emerging dietary target for chronic disease prevention. This scoping review provides updated evidence on associations between UPF consumption and cancer risk and identifies potential carcinogenic properties within UPFs, highlighting implications for food policies, Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) and other healthcare professionals. Using the PubMed and Scopus databases, a comprehensive search was conducted (2010-2025). Eligible articles were required to be peer reviewed, published in English, observational in design, utilize the NOVA classification system, and examine cancer incidence. A total of 23 articles were included, and 15 reported a positive association between UPF intake and cancer incidence. This appeared more pronounced when cancer was considered one of many chronic diseases, and factoring in subgroup analyses within larger populations. Sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed meats were isolated UPFs associated with higher cancer risk, allowing RDNs and other healthcare practitioners tangible dietary targets to impact cancer risk. Given the collective evidence, significant investment is needed in methodologies to comprehensively and reliably classify UPFs and to integrate UPFs into public health nutrition campaigns, dietary guidelines and food labels promoting a better food environment for all.

Malnutrition and nutrition impact symptoms are common during and after anticancer treatment. This systematic review aimed to identify nutrition screening and assessment tools validated in patients with cancer and/or survivors, and to provide an overview. Comprehensive searches were conducted. Covidence was used for reference screening, data extraction, and quality assessment by two reviewers independently. Studies were included if they tested concurrent validity of a tool reporting: sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), Pearson's/Spearman's correlation coefficient, or kappa. Data were summarized in tables and described narratively. Of 6,332 screened records, 486 were full-text reviewed, and 98 articles covering 161 validation studies of 47 tools were included. Most articles included mixed cancer diagnoses, followed by head and neck and gastrointestinal cancer; few included survivors. The most frequently validated tools were Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002), Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), and the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Several reference standards were used. Sensitivity ranged from 6% to 100%, specificity from 11% to 100%, and validity from 'Poor' to 'Good'. The absence of a universal gold standard complicates identification of a superior tool. Nonetheless, rather than ranking tools, this review provides an overview of their validity across different reference standards, offering guidance for clinicians. PROSPERO: CRD42018096678.

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) is a valuable tool to assess nutritional status in older adults, but its association with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer risk remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between GNRI and GI cancer risk in the elderly population. Data from 18,889 participants aged 60 and older were analyzed from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999-2020. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between GNRI and GI cancer risk, adjusting for confounding factors including age, sex, race, education, poverty-income ratio (PIR), smoking status, alcohol drinking, hypertension, and diabetes. Potential non-linear relationships were explored using generalized additive models, smooth curve fitting, and piece-wise regression analysis. A significant negative association was observed between GNRI and GI cancer risk ( = 0.005), after fully adjusting for confounders. Participants in the third quartile of GNRI had a 35% lower risk of GI cancers compared to those in the lowest quartile ( = 0.010). Piece-wise regression analysis identified a GNRI threshold of 95.25. These findings provide evidence that elevated GNRI is remarkably associated with reduced GI cancer risk among geriatric individuals.

Accumulating evidence demonstrated that low body mass index (BMI) is associated with adverse surgical outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between BMI and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admission in patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal tumors.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and is often diagnosed at advanced stages, limiting therapeutic options. Therefore, preventive strategies are crucial for its control. Among these, the use of nutrients and bioactive food compounds, such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), has gained attention. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-derived n-3 PUFA abundant in flaxseed oil (FSO), has shown chemopreventive effects in various cancer models. This study investigated the chemopreventive potential of FSO in rats subjected to the resistant hepatocyte (RH) model of hepatocarcinogenesis, which generates preneoplastic lesions that may either progress to HCC (pPNL) or revert to a normal phenotype (rPNL). FSO treatment led to a reduction in the number of liver nodules and decreased both the number and size of pPNL. These effects were associated with increased hepatic ALA levels. FSO did not affect cell proliferation or apoptosis; however, it reduced DNA damage and inhibited γ-H2AX expression in preneoplastic livers, particularly in pPNL. Given that pPNL shares molecular alterations with HCC, the inhibition of γ-H2AX suggests a relevant mechanism by which FSO contributes to the chemoprevention of hepatocarcinogenesis.

This study evaluates the combined effects of psychological intervention and enhanced nutritional support on the recovery outcomes of postoperative gastric cancer patients. A total of 290 postoperative gastric cancer patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group (145 patients) or a control group (145 patients). Assessments were conducted on nutritional status, sleep quality (PSQI), pain management (VAS), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30). The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in nutritional status, sleep quality, pain relief, and quality of life compared to the control group ( < 0.05). Specifically, serum albumin, total protein, prealbumin, transferrin, collagen levels, body weight, and the PSQI score all showed significant positive changes ( < 0.05). Psychological intervention combined with enhanced nutritional support significantly improves postoperative recovery, enhancing nutritional status, sleep quality, pain management, and overall quality of life in gastric cancer patients.

Previous studies have reported that both inflammation and nutrition may affect breast cancer development, but there has been no comprehensive analysis of the influence of the immune nutritional indicator Prognostic Nutritional Index on breast cancer. The Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), integrating serum albumin and lymphocyte count, serves as a dual biomarker reflecting systemic nutritional status and antitumor immune competence. Mechanistically, hypoalbuminemia signifies malnutrition and cancer-associated chronic inflammation, while lymphocytopenia indicates impaired immune surveillance facilitating tumor evasion. Clinically validated across gastrointestinal and breast malignancies, low PNI correlates with therapeutic resistance and reduced survival, attributable to compromised tissue repair and antitumor immunity. Despite its cost-effectiveness and calculability from routine blood tests, PNI's potential as an accessible risk stratification tool remains.

Older cancer patients present a high risk of malnutrition and muscle loss, which can worsen outcomes and delay recovery. This study assessed whether combining nutritional risk screening tools with calf circumference (CC) measurements improves the prediction of hospital outcomes in older adults with solid tumors. A secondary analysis of 305 hospitalized cancer patients (mean age 68.2 ± 8.9 years; 59.3% male; 32.8% with gastrointestinal cancers) was conducted. Low CC was defined as ≤34 cm for men and ≤33 cm for women, with adjustments for body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m. Nearly 60% of patients had low CC. The Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, particularly when combined with low unadjusted CC, showed the highest accuracy and sensitivity among the screening tools for predicting hospital stays of five days or more. In adjusted analyses, patients identified as being at nutritional risk and presented with low CC had approximately twice the odds of experiencing prolonged hospitalization. No significant association was found with hospital readmissions. These findings underscore the importance of integrating anthropometric measures like CC with established nutritional screening tools to better identify older cancer patients at risk for extended hospital stays.