Nutritional interventions in cancer cachexia

Tumor je jedan od vodećih uzroka smrti u svijetu, a česta popratna dijagnoza osoba oboljelih od tumora su malnutricija i tumorska kaheksija, koje značajno utječu na prehrambeni i funkcionalni status pacijenata te time dovode do lošijeg kliničkog ishoda bolesti. Stoga je potrebno provoditi nutritivni probir i procjenu prehrambenog statusa onkoloških pacijenata putem validiranih upitnika, procijeniti sastav tijela i utvrditi prisutnost biokemijskih indikatora tumorske kaheksije, pri čemu je neophodan individualan pristup svakom pacijentu. Nutritivna intervencija u onkoloških bolesnika temelji se na prehrani bogatoj energijom i proteinima te primjeni enteralne i parenteralne prehrane kada oralna prehrana nije dostatna, pri čemu prednost ima enteralna prehrana. Pozitivne rezultate u liječenju tumorske kaheksije pokazuju i neki dodaci prehrani, kao što su omega-3 masne kiseline, aminokiseline razgranatog lanca, L-karnitin te melatonin.Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, with malnutrition and cancer being its concomitant diagnoses. They significantly affect the nutritional and functional status of patients, leading to a poorer clinical outcome. Therefore, nutritional screening and assessment through validated questionnaires, assessing body composition, determining the presence of biochemical indicators, and an individual approach are necessary in cancer patients. Nutritional intervention in cancer patients is based on energy- and protein-rich diet, and enteral and parenteral nutrition when oral nutrition is insufficient, with preferred enteral nutrition. Dietary supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids, L-carnitine, and melatonin, also show positive results in cancer cachexia treatment