Better nutrition screening may improve ovarian cancer outcomes, study finds

Better detection and management of malnutrition and muscle loss could improve treatment results for women with ovarian cancer, new research has found.

The study involved a 24-item survey of 57 healthcare professionals across Australia, looking at awareness of nutrition issues, screening practices and barriers to support at diagnosis, during treatment and after treatment.

Weight loss, overweight or obesity and sarcopenia were the most frequently reported nutrition-related problems.

During treatment, 70 per cent of patients lost weight and 65 per cent developed sarcopenia – the loss of muscle mass and strength that makes it harder to cope with therapy.

After treatment, 46 per cent gained weight but 39 per cent still had muscle loss.

Researchers from several Australian institutions identified major gaps in care.

The researcher said: “The findings from this sample of HCPs suggest that nutrition care practices for patients with ovarian cancer, a vulnerable patient group, currently do not align with best practice guidelines for a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to the identification and management of cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia.”

Nearly 60 per cent of professionals did not screen for sarcopenia, and 18 per cent said their services did not screen for nutritional risk at all.

The respondents included nurses (39 per cent), dietitians (23 per cent) and surgeons (19 per cent), mainly from public hospitals in metropolitan areas, most with six to 10 years’ experience in ovarian cancer care.

All dietitians recognised malnutrition and sarcopenia as important issues, but awareness was lower among nurses and other professionals, leading to uneven screening and referral.

Patients on chemotherapy were at the highest nutritional risk, at 97 per cent.

Three-quarters of respondents said patients often made their own dietary changes during treatment, sometimes without professional advice.

Although 91 per cent reported dietetic services were available in their hospitals, referrals were most common at diagnosis but declined once treatment ended.

Referrals were usually triggered by unintentional weight loss, patient requests or symptom management.

Key barriers included the absence of a formal sarcopenia screening process (75 per cent), limited access to dietitians (60 per cent) and a lack of clear referral pathways for ovarian cancer (58 per cent).

The researchers called for an evidence-based clinical pathway tailored to ovarian cancer to standardise screening and ensure consistent care.