Summary report of the Standards, Options and Recommendations for malnutrition and nutritional assessment in patients with cancer (1999)

In healthy subjects, nutritional ‘equilibrium’ is maintained by the oral intake of substrates providing energy, structural integrity and body regulation (vitamins, minerals, etc). Any reduction in intake of these elements, especially when combined with the metabolic abnormalities observed in patients with cancer, leads to an imbalance resulting in progressive malnutrition. This is generally a protein–calorie malnutrition, often accompanied by deficits in specific nutrients. The prevalence of malnutrition is dependent on the tumour site and its stage. Malnutrition is more prevalent in patients with cancer of the proximal gastrointestinal tract.