Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Healthcare professional views on malnutrition and muscle loss in patients with ovarian cancer (#406)

Sarah Benna-Doyle 1 2 , Nicole Kiss 1 2 3 , Erin Laing 2 3 4 , Jenelle Loeliger 1 2 3 4 , Brenton Baguley 1 2 3
  1. Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition , Deakin University , Geelong, VIC, Australia
  2. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University , Burwood, VIC, Australia
  3. Nutrition and Speech Pathology Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre , Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  4. Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology , The University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Background and aims:  Ovarian cancer is a relatively rare and fatal cancer (49% 5-year survival rate). Patients are at high risk of malnutrition and muscle loss due to advanced-stage diagnosis and increased treatment severity. Evidence-based guidelines recommend all patients with cancer are screened for malnutrition and sarcopenia to reduce associated adverse consequences including reduced treatment tolerance and survival. This study aimed to describe the awareness and perceptions of nutrition issues and current nutrition-related practices among healthcare professionals (HCP) treating patients with ovarian cancer in Australia.   

Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was completed between November 2023 and March 2024. The 24-item purpose-designed survey evaluated awareness and perceptions of nutrition-related issues, screening and referral practices, and barriers to providing nutrition services in ovarian cancer.

Results: HCPs (n=57) were predominantly nurses (38.6%), dietitians (22.8%) or surgeons (19.3%). Overall, weight loss (67%), overweight and obesity (54.4%) and muscle loss (44%) at diagnosis and weight loss (67%) and muscle loss (63.2%) during treatment were the most observed issues. Perceptions of the importance of malnutrition and sarcopenia varied; however, medical professionals were less likely to consider them important. Chemotherapy was identified as the treatment with greatest malnutrition risk (96.5%), yet 21% of health services did not screen for malnutrition, 57.9% did not screen for sarcopenia and 75.4% of participants reported patients made self-directed dietary changes during treatment. Key barriers to providing nutrition care were a lack of established processes for sarcopenia screening (75%), limited dietetic services (60%), and lack of referral pathways specific to patients with ovarian cancer (58%). 

Conclusion Perceptions of the importance of malnutrition and sarcopenia in ovarian cancer vary according to professional discipline despite robust evidence on their importance to clinical outcomes. The results identify inconsistencies in screening practices and highlight the need for ovarian cancer-specific referral pathways to guide appropriate nutrition care.