The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) have released a position statement about cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia which you can find here:
Highlights for generalist primary care providers:
- Cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia are under-recognised and under-treated
- It’s not all about being underweight - these conditions can be present at any body weight or BMI including obesity
- Primary care providers can play an important role in identifying the conditions and making referrals for management
Malnutrition
- there are validated malnutrition screening tools which can be self-administered or completed by any health professional
- anyone identified as being at risk of malnutrition following screening should be referred to a practising dietitian for comprehensive nutritional assessment and initiation of appropriate treatment
Sarcopenia
- The SARC-F is a screening tool that’s been validated for use in older people and people with cancer
- All people identified at risk of sarcopenia should be referred to an accredited practising dietitian and exercise specialist experienced in the cancer setting