Bridging nutrition and oncologic care: addressing malnutrition in adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer

Improving survival rates in patients with advanced gastric cancer remains a significant challenge, with adjuvant chemotherapy playing a well-established role in enhancing outcomes.Malnutrition has recently emerged as a critical factor that influences cancer survival, quality of life, and treatment adherence.Patients with gastric cancer, especially those who undergo gastrectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, are particularly vulnerable to nutritional deficits.Nutritional status in these patients is not only a determinant of overall health but also a pivotal factor in improving adherence to chemotherapy.Current guidelines emphasize the importance of early identification and proactive management of nutritional risks, starting from the time of cancer diagnosis.Nutritional interventions are essential to optimize treatment outcomes and mitigate the adverse effects of malnutrition.This review aimed to introduce various screening and assessment tools, along with clinically validated nutritional indices that are currently utilized in practice.Furthermore, we explored their impact on the adherence to adjuvant chemotherapy and overall patient outcomes.The integration of standardized clinical nutritional practices and comprehensive interpretation of diverse nutritional indices will be crucial in advancing personalized nutritional interventions for patients with advanced gastric cancer.By bridging the gap between nutrition and oncology, this approach can contribute to better survival rates, improved quality of life, and more effective cancer care.