AUTHOR=Wang Fang , Dong Qi , Yu Kang , Li Rong-rong , Fu Ji , Guo Jia-yu , Li Chun-wei 

TITLE=Nutrition Risk Screening and Related Factors Analysis of Non-hospitalized Cancer Survivors: A Nationwide Online Survey in China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.920714

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.920714

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=Purposes: This study investigated the nutritional problems and risks of Chinese non-hospitalized cancer survivors through an online survey. 
Methods: The survey included nutritional and clinical questions distributed to non-hospitalized cancer survivors. All data were screened and analyzed with strict quality control. Nutrition Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002) was adopted and the related factors were analyzed.
Results: 6,685 questionnaires were included. The prevalence of nutritional risk was 33.9%, which varied according to age, sex, cancer type, TNM staging, oncologic treatment, etc. Patients with leukemia and digestive cancer had the highest NRS-2002 score (3.33 ± 1.45 and 3.25 ± 1.61); the prevalence of nutritional risk (NRS-2002 ≥ 3) was 66.7% and 55.1%, respectively. Patients with a higher TNM stage had higher NRS-2002 scores in non-digestive cancer, which was not seen in digestive cancer. Among digestive, bone, nervous, and respiratory cancer patients, the NRS-2002 score mainly consisted of “impaired nutritional status,” which coincided with the “disease severity score” in leukemia patients. Nutrition intervention was achieved in 79.7% and 15.2% of patients with nutritional risk and no risk. Of the patients, 60.3% exhibited confusion about nutritional problems, but only 25.1% had professional counseling.
Conclusions: Nutritional risk screening and assessment are needed to cover non-hospitalized cancer survivors to provide nutrition intervention for better clinical outcomes and quality of life. By an online survey, the nutritional risk of non-hospitalized cancer survivors was found high in China, but the nutrition support was not desirable. The composition of nutritional risk should also be aware.