Closing the Gap in Nutrition Care at Outpatient Cancer Centers: Ongoing Initiatives of the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.

Lack of access to nutrition care in outpatient cancer centers is a critical issue in the US health care system. It is well documented that malnutrition adversely affects key outcomes, including morbidity and mortality, as well as hospitalizations, readmissions, and other variables that may increase cost of oncology care. 1 Ryan A.M. Power D.G. Daly L. Cushen S.J. Ni Bhuachalla E. Prado C.M. Cancer-associated malnutrition, cachexia and sarcopenia: The skeleton in the hospital closet 40 years later. Proc Nutr Soc. 2016; 75: 199-211 Crossref PubMed Scopus (277) Google Scholar , 2 Arends J. Baracos V. Bertz H. et al. ESPEN expert group recommendations for action against cancer-related malnutrition. Clin Nutr. 2017; 36: 1187-1196 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (553) Google Scholar , 3 Kang M.C. Kim J.H. Ryu S.W. et al. Prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients: A multicenter cross-sectional study. J Korean Med Sci. 2018; 33: e10 Crossref PubMed Scopus (60) Google Scholar , 4 Kono T. Sakamoto K. Shinden S. Ogawa K. Pre-therapeutic nutritional assessment for predicting severe adverse events in patients with head and neck cancer treated by radiotherapy. Clin Nutr. 2017; 36: 1681-1685 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (52) Google Scholar Based upon this evidence, the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (ON DPG), a practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy), formulated a strategic plan to address nutrition-related gaps in cancer care. The ultimate goal of the strategic plan is to improve patient access to oncology nutrition care from the time of diagnoses, through treatment and into cancer survivorship, for whatever period of time survivorship may encompass. E. B. Trujillo is a nutritionist, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD. S. W. Dixon is a senior content writer, The Mesothelioma Center, Orlando, FL. K. Claghorn is an advanced practice clinical dietitian specialist, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. R. M. Levin is an oncology dietitian nutritionist, Dell Children’s Blood and Cancer Center, Austin, TX. J. B. Mills is a certified specialist in oncology nutrition, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH. C. K. Spees is an assistant professor, Medical Dietetics & Health Sciences, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cancer Hospital & Solove Research Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.