A systematic review of nutrition interventions to improve the appetite of adults undergoing cancer treatment

摘要

Background: Loss of appetite is a common complication in cancer patients leading to malnutrition. Nutrition interventions that improve appetite during cancer treatments have not previously been identified. Aim: To systematically determine nutrition interventions that improve appetite and nutrition-related outcomes of adults with cancer undergoing cancer treatments and, to identify appetite assessment tools used to measure appetite. Methods: Randomised controlled trials of adults with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immu-notherapy treatments, nutrition interventions and appetite assessed by an appetite assessment tool or quality of life tool were eligible. The search strategy was applied to four databases and findings were systematically assessed by two researchers. Data were extracted then the included library was assessed using the Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research. A narrative synthesis of results was undertaken. Results: After title/abstract screening, five trials of n = 472 participants were included in the final library. Oral nutrition supplements, fish oil supplements and dietary counselling were nutritional interventions were found to improve appetite. Appetite was assessed via Visual Analogue Scales (n = 1), and EORTC QLQ C30 questionnaire (n = 4). Three studies received a positive quality rating, two studies were rated as neutral. Conclusion: Nutrition interventions that improved appetite and nutrition outcomes of patients with cancer undergoing cancer treatments included oral nutrition supplements, dietary counselling and increases in eicosapentaenoic acid from fish oil supplementation. Future research is needed to identify validated assessment tools in the oncology setting to determine which nutrition interventions influence appetite outcomes. ^e>bianca.ukovic@easternhealth.org.au