- Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2022 to Thursday, July 28, 2022
- Time: 12:00pm EDT to 5:00pm EDT
Background
As many as 80% of people with cancer experience malnutrition. Malnutrition, a condition caused by not getting the right balance of nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals, can interfere with cancer treatment and increase the risk of complications, hospitalizations, and death.
Cancer and cancer treatment can have nutrition-related side effects like nausea, appetite and taste changes, and fatigue and make it hard for people with cancer to eat well and absorb nutrients from food. People who have upper gastrointestinal tract, head, neck, lung, blood, gynecological, or colorectal cancers are more likely to experience nutrition problems. People with cancer who have excess weight or obesity are also at greater risk for complications related to poor nutrition.
Cancer-associated malnutrition may be preventable. Studies have shown that interventions like medical nutrition therapy can help people with cancer keep a healthy body weight, maintain strength, respond to cancer treatment, and have a better quality of life.