Aims: Cancer malnutrition prevalence has been reported in Victoria biennially since 2012. The aim of the 2018 cancer malnutrition point prevalence study (PPS) was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition for adult inpatients and ambulatory patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
Methods: A PPS of adult patients with cancer was conducted at multiple Victorian health services between July and August 2018. The Malnutrition Screening Tool and ICD-10-AM malnutrition definition were used to determine the risk and presence of malnutrition, respectively.
Results: A total of 19 sites recruited 1462 oncology patients into the study (n=319 inpatients, 22%). Four-hundred and sixty (31%) patients were at risk of malnutrition, with an overall malnutrition prevalence of 15% (n=220). This is a reduction in malnutrition prevalence in 2 years from 23% reported in the 2016 PPS and an overall reduction of 16% over 8 years. Inpatients had a higher prevalence compared to ambulatory patients (29% vs 11%) and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) and lung cancer tumour streams had the highest prevalence (39% and 21% respectively). Of those patients that were identified as malnourished, only 65% were receiving dietetic care at the time of the study.
Conclusions: The 2018 cancer malnutrition PPS indicates that the state-wide cancer malnutrition prevalence rate in Victorian health services has reduced in both the inpatient and ambulatory settings over the previous two years. Improvements are still needed in the UGI, lung and colorectal tumour streams where malnutrition prevalence is moderate, but patient volume is high. These results will continue to inform both local and state-wide approaches to address the burden of cancer malnutrition.