Cancer (oncology) - dietetic services

Nutrition plays a crucial role in the care of people who have cancer.

 

Maintaining a good nutritional status is often difficult for these patients as metabolic changes occur to influence appetite and the body’s use of nutrients.

 

Treatments and their side effects can further exacerbate a poor dietary intake. Patients may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sore mouth, taste changes and fatigue. These symptoms may contribute to a deterioration in nutritional status.

 

An adequate intake and good level of nourishment is important for each cancer patient both to improve their general health and to maintain their best possible state of health as they progress with their cancer treatments. To achieve this, the dietitian assesses the nutritional status of the patient, gives advice and provides support throughout their period of care.

 

Who we provide a service to

Oncology dietitians at Addenbrooke’s work in the following areas:

• Ward C10 (with haematology and stem cell transplant  patients)
  
  
• Ward D6 (with haematology patients)
  
  
• Ward D9 (with general oncology patients)
  
  
• Ward M5 (with head and neck cancer)
  
  
• Wards C7 and D7 (with patients who have had general surgery for cancer)
  
  
• Wards L5 (with maxillofacial surgery and plastic surgery patients)
  
  
• Ward A5 (with neurology and brain and brachytherapy patients)
  
  
• Ward J3/PSSU ( for patients who are just at Addenbrooke's for a short stay)
  
  
• Ward C5 and C6 (occasionally for oncology outliers)
  
  
• Clinic 10 (for head and neck cancer outpatients)
  
  
• Clinic 12 (for joint gastroenterology/oncology and home enteral feeding outpatients)
  
  
• Clinical Oncology Centre (for oncology outpatients)
  
  
• Clinic 8 (for maxillofacial outpatients)
  
  
• Clinic 4 (for follow ups after general surgery)

• Radiotherapy
  
  
• Chemotherapy
  
  
• Palliative Care
  
  
• Stem cell transplantation

 

Continuing education/professional development for other health professionals - dietitians take part in this by:

• Supporting other Anglia Cancer Network dietitians.
  
  
• Leading the Anglia Cancer Network Head and Neck Interest Group for dietitians.
  
  
• Delivering a series of lectures to Homerton College students on diet in both the prevention and treatment of cancer.
  
  
• Development of patient information for use across the network.
  
  
• Training student dietitians, which gives them an insight into the work of an oncology dietitian and how they interact as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT).
  
  
• Delivering presentations to clinicians and other multidisciplinary team members, to ward staff, to the catering department and the clinical oncology centre. Issues covered include management of feeding tubes, use of alternative and complementary diets and oral nutritional supplements.
  
  
• Participating as members of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Oncology Group and/or Haematology Dietitians Group and acting as a resource for advice to dietitians working in head and neck cancer and haematology and upper GI.

 

Why we provide a service

• Nutrition plays an important role in the care of people who have cancer, from diagnosis onwards. Each Oncology patient will be given the opportunity to achieve his or her optimal nutritional status through access to a state-registered dietitian who can provide nutritional assessment, advice and support throughout their period of care.
  
  
• The dietitian can also give dietary interventions to help patients cope better with the disease itself and the therapies (such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery) that might affect their nutritional intake.
  
  
• Many people who have cancer will experience some level of eating difficulties and/or weight loss. Without care, up to 80% of patients who have cancer can become malnourished.
  
  
• The dietitian is able to see patients while they are inpatients and also as outpatients attending clinic appointments or chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy treatments.
  
  
• The dietitian is an active member of the multidisciplinary team and liaises with many professionals about patients' nutritional care.
  
  
• The nutritional advice and support needed by people who have cancer will range from general advice about healthy eating, through to specific advice about overcoming eating difficulties and the use of dietary supplements.
  
  
• Some patients will require specialist help including intensive enteral or parenteral nutritional support methods, or they will require dietary supplements to meet their requirements.

 

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