ABSTRACT
Malnutrition is observed in about 40% of cancer patients. e Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines consensus statement identied malnutrition as an ‘acute, subacute or chronic state of nutrition, in which a combination of varying degrees of overnutrition or undernutrition with or without inammatory activity has led to a change in body composition and diminished function’ [1]. It is characterized by weight loss, hypoalbuminemia, decreased skeletal muscle mass and reduced fat storage; it has been shown to increase morbidity (including a higher rate of toxicities during chemotherapy and radiotherapy), hospital length of stay (LOS) and treatment costs; decrease performance status and quality of life (QoL) [2]; and nally, has a negative impact on survival [3].
