Management of Cancer Cachexia and Guidelines Implementation in a Comprehensive Cancer Center: A Physician-Led Cancer Nutrition Program Adapted to the Practices of a Country

Context: Cancer-associated cachexia is correlated with survival, side-effects, and alteration of the patients' well-being.

Objectives: We implemented an institution-wide multidisciplinary supportive care team, a Cancer Nutrition Program (CNP), to screen and manage cachexia in accordance with the guidelines and evaluated the impact of this new organization on nutritional care and funding.

Methods: We estimated the workload associated with nutrition assessment and cachexia-related interventions and audited our clinical practice. We then planned, implemented, and evaluated the CNP, focusing on cachexia.

Results: The audit showed a 70% prevalence of unscreened cachexia. Parenteral nutrition was prescribed to patients who did not meet the guideline criteria in 65% cases. From January 2009 to December 2011, the CNP team screened 3078 inpatients. The screened/total inpatient visits ratio was 87%, 80%, and 77% in 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively. Cachexia was reported in 74.5% (n = 2253) patients, of which 94.4% (n = 1891) required dietary counseling. Over three years, the number of patients with artificial nutrition significantly decreased by 57.3% (P < 0.001), and the qualitative inpatients enteral/parenteral ratio significantly increased: 0.41 in 2009, 0.74 in 2010, and 1.52 in 2011. Between 2009 and 2011, the CNP costs decreased significantly for inpatients nutritional care from 528,895€ to 242,272€, thus financing the nutritional team (182,520€ per year).

Conclusion: Our results highlight the great benefits of implementing nutritional guidelines through a physician-led multidisciplinary team in charge of nutritional care in a comprehensive cancer center.