Medical Nutrition Therapy for Oncology (ONC) Umbrella Review (2024-25)
Welcome to the Medical Nutrition Therapy for Oncology Umbrella Review
Malnutrition frequently affects adults with cancer and is associated with reduced quality of life and increased mortality risk. To guide payers and policymakers in identifying effective care strategies, a clearer understanding of the role dietitians play in cancer care is essential. This umbrella review of systematic reviews aims to assess the impact of dietitian-led interventions—compared to no intervention or standard care—on nutrition-related outcomes in adults across all cancer types and stages. Outcomes of interest included:
- Nutrition status
- Quality of life
- Length of stay
- Mortality
- Weight
- Protein Intake
- Energy intake
Key Findings:
In adults with cancer, dietitian interventions may have a beneficial effect on nutrition status, length of stay, quality of life, and protein and energy intake. However, the certainty of evidence was low due to risk of bias, unclear effect sizes, and small sample sizes. The impact of dietitian interventions on body weight in adult cancer patients was mixed but may have some beneficial impact for adults with head and neck cancer. There was no impact of dietitian interventions on mortality.
Dietitian-led interventions show promise in enhancing a broad spectrum of nutrition-related outcomes in adults with cancer. Policymakers and healthcare payers can support the well-being of individuals with cancer by enabling coverage and access to medical nutrition therapy (MNT) delivered by registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).
Article: Rozga M, Moloney L, Handu D. Dietitian-Provided Interventions for Adults with Cancer: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews. Nutr Cancer. 2025 Mar 19:1-15. doi:10.1080/01635581.2025.2480317. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40108878.
Use the links on the left to view the results of the umbrella review. Expand the section below titled Project Team and Disclosures for a listing of the individuals who contributed to the development of this project, conflict of interest disclosures, and project funding information.