publication

Countering malnutrition through medical nutrition in cancer care

Title: Countering malnutrition through medical nutrition in cancer care

Published: February 4, 2025

Cancer is a profoundly challenging journey, made even more difficult by the added burden of malnutrition. Up to 80% of patients are affected by disease-related malnutrition during their cancer journey,1Ryan AM, et al. Nutrition. 2019:67-68:110539; Arends J, et al. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2023:185:103965 and 65% experience weight loss by the time of their first oncology visit.2Muscaritoli M, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2019;10(3):517-525. Not only is this often accompanied by muscle loss, fatigue, and a negative impact on quality of life, but one-third of patients with cancer report that their weight loss is severe enough to force changes, interruptions, or even delays to their treatment programs.3Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434 To address malnutrition and muscle loss, Danone Research & Innovation (R&I)’s oncology and nutrition experts work with healthcare professionals (HCPs) to deliver optimal medical nutrition – helping to enhance quality of life and support better treatment outcomes.

The need for good nutrition  

In a 2023 survey commissioned by our partner Nutricia and conducted by Ipsos, 64% of cancer patients reported challenges related to eating and drinking.4Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434 While the self-reported burden of nutrition-related issues varied depending on cancer type, the most common complaints included appetite loss, nausea, dry mouth, and taste changes. Although weight loss was the visible consequence for many of these patients, clinical studies show that muscle loss, more specifically, can accelerate physical decline.5Daly et al. 2016 Proc Nutr Soc, 77(2):1335-151 It is no surprise that 83% of patients believe nutrition plays a key role during treatment and recovery.6Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434

Here at Danone R&I, we have a dedicated team of scientists and researchers working on oncology and related innovations. “We believe nutrition is a crucial element of effective cancer care and should be seamlessly integrated into it,” explains Helene Blanchard, Head of Medical Affairs Oncology & Recovery. “Cancer and its treatment can lead to weight and muscle loss 7Muscaritoli M, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2019;10(3):517-525.,8Martin L, et al.J Clin Oncol. 2015;33(1):90-9. as well as other nutrition-related challenges, such as loss of appetite9Jacobs JM, et al. J Natl Compr Cancer Netw. 2019;17(3):221-228. and taste alterations.10Spotten LE, et al. Ann Oncol. 2017;28(5):969-984 All these factors contribute to reduced oral intake; indeed, it has been demonstrated that food intake alone is often insufficient to cover all nutritional needs.11Caccialanza R, et al. J Cancer. 2016;7(2):131-135.

As Bram Dorresteijn, Head of Oncology Nutritional Science, says, “Up to two-thirds of cancer patients don’t meet their protein requirements.12Prado S, et al. 2012 Can J Diet Pract. 73(4):e298-303.,13McCurdy B, et al. Nutrients.2019;11(11):2473.,14Stobaus N, et al. Nutr Cancer. 2015;67(5):818. This is where medical nutrition plays an important role in helping maintain nutritional intake and body weight,15Arends J, et al. ESMO Open. 2021;6(3):100092. 2. Arends J, et al. Clin Nutr. 2017;36(1):11-48. thereby supporting patients throughout treatment and recovery.16Burden et al. 2017 J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 8(3):437-486 At Danone R&I, we’re focused on studying and developing new concepts for nutritional solutions with a positive impact throughout the cancer journey.”

Timely interventions can help prevent muscle loss and preserve physical function. In turn, this contributes positively to patients’ well-being, treatment tolerance, and overall outcomes. “Oncology treatments are very demanding,” explains Miriam van Dijk-Ottens, Senior Scientist. “Research shows that multimodal prehabilitation, including proper nutritional support, can help patients preserve and build the muscle mass and strength they need to withstand the upcoming treatment.”

Putting patients first 

Helene, Miriam, Bram, and other scientists and researchers at Danone R&I are constantly working to develop cutting-edge targeted support – such as oral nutritional supplements – that can attenuate malnutrition, weight and muscle loss, and the associated negative effects. But there is another challenge to overcome: how to embed these solutions consistently into patient-centric oncological care?

In many European countries, for example, medical nutrition is not yet fully integrated into cancer management. The 2023 survey revealed significant gaps and inconsistencies across seven European countries when it came to patients’ access to nutritional advice and support from HCPs.17Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434.  Indeed, less than one-third of respondents reported using medical nutrition during their treatment.

“More focus on nutrition is needed, at the policy level as well as on the ground in the hospitals, to ensure that patients have access to optimal nutritional support during their complex treatment journey,” continues Helene, “and to put in place best practices that address cancer patients’ specific needs. In addition to the physical burden of symptoms like nausea or fatigue,  people may also face psychological impacts, such as being unsure what to eat to support their body or simply not enjoying meals because of changes in taste or appetite. Patient-centric care inherently addresses these challenges – not only through medical nutrition products, but also by involving everyone in the patient ecosystem in holistic care plans that meet patient needs.”

By continuing to collaborate with HCPs, patient associations, nutritional institutions, and other partners, Danone R&I is committed to advancing the scientific community’s understanding of (mal)nutrition in cancer and – crucially – of patient experiences. “Listening to patients’ experiences is crucial for understanding their needs and putting people at the heart of every innovation,” says Bram. “We combine these insights with high-level scientific and technological expertise to design optimal nutritional solutions to address patients’ requirements and alleviate nutrition-related challenges. Our products are then rigorously tested in preclinical and clinical settings to ensure the safety, optimal quality, and unique nutritional composition of our tailored portfolio for patients with cancer.”

“Every insight counts when it comes to improving tailored medical nutrition solutions,” concludes Miriam. “Our goal is to use our science and research to inform innovations that boost quality of life and enable better outcomes for cancer patients at every stage of their journey.”

We are shining a spotlight on our oncology activities throughout January – find out more about our innovative medical nutrition support here!

View References

View References
1 Ryan AM, et al. Nutrition. 2019:67-68:110539; Arends J, et al. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2023:185:103965
2, 7 Muscaritoli M, et al. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2019;10(3):517-525.
3, 4, 6 Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434
5 Daly et al. 2016 Proc Nutr Soc, 77(2):1335-151
8 Martin L, et al.J Clin Oncol. 2015;33(1):90-9.
9 Jacobs JM, et al. J Natl Compr Cancer Netw. 2019;17(3):221-228.
10 Spotten LE, et al. Ann Oncol. 2017;28(5):969-984
11 Caccialanza R, et al. J Cancer. 2016;7(2):131-135.
12 Prado S, et al. 2012 Can J Diet Pract. 73(4):e298-303.
13 McCurdy B, et al. Nutrients.2019;11(11):2473.
14 Stobaus N, et al. Nutr Cancer. 2015;67(5):818.
15 Arends J, et al. ESMO Open. 2021;6(3):100092. 2. Arends J, et al. Clin Nutr. 2017;36(1):11-48.
16 Burden et al. 2017 J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 8(3):437-486
17 Blanchard et al., Support Care Cancer. 2024;32(1):S434.