Objective: to apply a protocol that facilitates the detection of malnutrition in cancer patients during their treatment of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, selecting those that could benefit from a specific nutritional intervention.
Methodology: malnutrition was assessed with the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST). Patients at malnutrition risk were evaluated with patient generated subjective-global assessment (PG-SGA) and a subgroup of the sample studied was also assessed with a quality of life (CV) using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.
Results: from 222 patients, risk of malnutrition was observed in 126 (56.7%). The PG-SGA shows an initial prevalence of malnutrition of 69.2% (61.7% moderately malnourished and 7.5% severe malnutrition) and a mean weight loss of -10.27 kg. In the last evaluation (+12 months), the percentage of malnutrition or risk was significantly reduced to 23.5% and the mean weight loss decreased to -7.1 kg. During follow-up, the scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire improved, especially at three months on the diarrhea scale (p = 0.037), at six months on the pain scale (p = 0.009), and at 12 months on the pain (p = 0.026), nausea and vomiting (p = 0.002), dyspnea (p = 0.016), loss of appetite (p = 0.002) and constipation (p = 0.05) scales.
Conclusion: the protocol has been effective in improving the nutritional status and quality of life of cancer patients with partial recovery of lost weight.