Oncology Nutrition Support
Oncology Nutrition Support provides specialist nutritional assessment and intervention by an oncology dietitian throughout cancer treatment -- addressing treatment-related eating difficulties, preventing malnutrition, maintaining muscle mass, and supporting the best possible treatment tolerance and quality of life.
Overview
Key Benefits
Discover the advantages of choosing our oncology nutrition support services.
Early nutritional intervention maintains muscle mass and treatment tolerance
Adequate protein intake supports immune function and surgical wound healing
Maintaining body weight through treatment correlates with better treatment completion rates
Preventing severe malnutrition reduces hospitalisation infection risk and treatment delays
Survivorship dietary guidance reduces risk of cancer recurrence and late effects
Clinical Features
The technology, techniques and clinical approach behind our oncology nutrition support.
PG-SGA nutritional assessment provides standardised severity scoring for treatment prioritisation
Treatment-related symptom management strategies personalised to the specific cancer treatment
ONS prescribed and monitored formally as a clinical nutritional intervention
Prophylactic tube feeding planned pre-treatment prevents acute nutritional crisis
Survivorship nutrition support addresses long-term consequences of cancer treatment
Preparation Instructions
Report any significant changes in your eating ability, weight loss, new swallowing difficulties, or changes in bowel function to your oncology dietitian promptly -- early intervention prevents progression to severe malnutrition. Take all prescribed oral nutritional supplements consistently -- they are a medical intervention not a luxury. Attend all nutrition review appointments and do not discontinue supplements without dietitian advice.
The Procedure
Step-by-step guide to what you can expect during your oncology nutrition support procedure.
Malnutrition Screening and Assessment
The Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) identifies malnutrition and quantifies its severity. Weight loss percentage muscle wasting and symptom burden inform the urgency and intensity of nutritional intervention required.
Treatment-Related Symptom Management
Nausea vomiting mucositis taste changes and early satiety are addressed with specific dietary strategies -- small frequent meals cold or room temperature foods texture modification soft and moist foods and symptom-targeted food suggestions.
Calorie and Protein Target Calculation
Energy requirement of 25 to 35 kcal/kg/day and protein of 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg/day are calculated. These increased requirements reflect the metabolic demands of cancer and treatment -- most patients find they need to eat more than usual during treatment.
Oral Nutritional Supplement Prescribing
When dietary intake cannot meet calculated requirements oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are prescribed -- selecting the most appropriate type (standard high-protein high-energy disease-specific) and monitoring intake and tolerability at every review.
Enteral Feeding When Required
When oral intake is predicted to be severely compromised (head and neck radiotherapy major GI surgery) prophylactic nasogastric or gastrostomy tube feeding is planned before treatment begins rather than reactively initiated during nutritional crisis.
Recovery and Survivorship Nutrition
During recovery from treatment dietary advice transitions to rebuilding lean body mass and addressing long-term treatment-related eating difficulties. Mediterranean diet principles and weight management support healthy survivorship and reduce cancer recurrence risk.
What to Expect
Your oncology dietitian uses a validated malnutrition screening tool and a comprehensive nutritional assessment to quantify your nutritional status and treatment-related challenges. A personalised nutritional support plan is developed addressing your specific symptoms and treatment schedule -- with practical, achievable dietary modifications, oral nutritional supplements where indicated, and enteral feeding recommendations when oral intake is insufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about oncology nutrition support.
Related Services
Explore other services in our Dietitian department.
Medical Nutrition Therapy for Diabetes
Weight Management Dietetics
Renal Diet Therapy
Ready to Get Started?
Schedule your consultation today and take the first step towards better health.