(Adnkronos) - "Prevenire perdita di peso e perdita di massa muscolare è possibile a condizione che aumenti la consapevolezza all'interno della classe medica e degli operatori sanitari che si occupano della cura del malato oncologico". Con queste parole Maurizio Muscaritoli, professore di Medicina interna, università Sapienza di Roma, spiega l'importanza di combattere la malnutrizione dei pazienti oncologici. L'occasione è stata fornita dall'evento Health to the fullest: al fianco dei pazienti tra prevenzione, innovazione, sostenibilità, incontro istituzionale, organizzato all’Acquario romano, in concomitanza del 75° anniversario di Abbott in Italia, il cui focus sarà sulle sfide del Sistema Sanitario Nazionale e i grandi temi della prevenzione, innovazione e sostenibilità, che ha coinvolto 200 stakeholder tra professionisti sanitari, referenti di società scientifiche e rappresentanti istituzionali.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Yes, in fact, the problem of malnutrition, that is involuntary weight loss in most oncological diseases is a relevant problem,
00:16although there is not much talk about it. There is not much awareness of the clinical consequences of this weight loss.
00:24Weight loss is linked to the presence of the disease, but also, and this is a rather peculiar case of oncological disease,
00:31to the same treatments that can interfere with normal nutrition or with the absorption of nutrients.
00:38So the problem exists, even if it is represented differently depending on the type of tumor.
00:44There are some patients with, for example, gastroenteric tract tumors, who are subject to a strong weight loss and also muscle mass.
00:53And there are other patients who, on the other hand, with other types of neoplasia, suffer less the effects of neoplasia.
01:00However, during the course of chemotherapy, one can witness a weight loss linked to the presence of nausea,
01:07of symptoms that interfere with normal nutrition.
01:12Preventing weight loss and muscle mass loss, which then means loss of function,
01:18loss of ability to perform normal daily functions, is possible,
01:23provided that, however, the awareness of the problem increases within the medical class and the healthcare workers
01:30who deal with the care of the oncological patient.
01:35The early interception of the mechanisms that interfere with normal nutrition and therefore determine weight loss is fundamental.
01:45Therefore, it is important that the oncological patient is taken care of from a metabolic and nutritional point of view
01:53from the beginning of his illness, that is, from the moment of diagnosis.
01:58For some people, at that moment, there will be nothing to do.
02:01For others, on the other hand, it may be necessary from that moment on to start a nutritional therapy
02:07that can allow the patient to deal with the therapeutic process in an optimal way.