Download Burden - Macmillan Cancer Support

Evaluating the integration of nutritional support into the
surgical management of colorectal cancer patients
Sorrel Burden, University of Manchester
Email : [email protected]
Summary
The aim of this fellowship is to undertake exploratory work to investigate why 66% of
patients with colorectal cancer lose weight prior to surgery and to test if a simple intervention
can help with nutritional status.
Background
Previous research found that 66% of patients with colorectal cancer lose weight prior to
surgery and 28% lose more than 10% of their body weight in the 6 months preceding
surgery. Loss of more than 10% of body weight is an indicator of malnutrition. Research
has also found that gastrointestinal surgical patients who are losing weight and
malnourished suffer more post-operative complications and the length of time needed to
recover is increased.
The researcher is a dietitian, and work undertaken for her PhD demonstrated clinical
benefits of supportive nutritional interventions. The national guidelines for Improving
Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer do not mention nutrition. However, lack of research in this
area is a factor in the omission of nutrition as a supportive intervention for colorectal cancer
patients from pivotal reports and guidance that influence service provision. This research
aims to explore the role of supportive preoperative nutritional management in the treatment
of colorectal cancer patients.
Findings
The study concludes 30 September 2013.
Why is this work important?
Nutritional support during treatment for patients forms the mainstay of work for dietitians
working on gastrointestinal wards. However, benefits of preoperative nutritional support are
not formally recognised in national guidelines for the treatment of colorectal cancer. This
form of support could be extremely valuable to patients.
Information for this research will be gathered through interviews and focus groups with
patients with colorectal cancer and a literature review. A controlled trial of a nutritional
intervention in colorectal cancer patients will also be conducted as part of the study.
Publications or other outputs related to this research
Burden ST, Hill J, Molassiotis A, Todd C. Exploring the experience of colorectal cancer
patients in relation to food and nutrition in survivorship. Submitted to Cancer Survivorship
Journal
Burden ST, Hill J, Molassiotis A, Todd C. Colorectal cancer patients’ experiences of food
and nutrition issues: a qualitative evaluation. Submitted to Clinical Nutrition
Burden S, Todd C, Hill J, Lal S. Preoperative Nutrition in Patients Undergoing
Gastrointestinal Surgery. (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2010.
Issue 12. Art.No: CD008879. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008879.
Burden ST, Hill J, Shaffer J, and Todd C. A randomized controlled trial of preoperative oral
sip feeding in colorectal cancer patients. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2011. 24:
441-443