Danone collaboration offers nutrition support for oncology patients
The platform, available in France and Belgium, provides patients with personalized articles, expert interviews, patient testimonials and an educational podcast series on nutrition, as well as resources to equip healthcare professionals to address the risk of patient malnutrition.
“It’s not widely known patients with cancer may have nutritional needs that cannot be met through normal food alone,” Katrien van Laere, senior VP of R&I and medical nutritional science for Danone, told NutraIngredients.
“Without adequate nutritional screening at diagnosis and over the course of treatment, this puts them at a greater risk of malnutrition and potential weight loss that can impact their treatment outcomes.”
Malnutrition in cancer patients
New research from data supplier Ipsos commissioned by Danone revealed that over 80% of cancer patients recognize the significance of nutrition during their journey, and yet access to comprehensive nutrition information and support remains inconsistent.
Therefore, van Laere explained, the newly integrated module aims to combat cancer-related malnutrition, a condition impacting up to 70% cancer patients, according to a recent study.
The Ipsos survey also showed that 64% of European cancer patients report nutritional problems such as loss of appetite, dry mouth and nausea.
These issues often result in weight loss and malnutrition, disrupting treatment plans and negatively affecting overall quality of life, recovery and treatment outcomes, van Laere noted.
Nutrition support model
In response to these challenges, the Danone collaboration offers a nutrition support module integrated into Resilience's digital oncology solution, which is now recognized by the French health authorities for all adult patients undergoing systemic cancer treatment.
Resilience, known for its remote patient care platform, combines patient monitoring and tools to manage treatment-related side effects.
Danone shared findings from peer-reviewed clinical research, scientific literature and other resources with Resilience, to develop the nutrition module and incorporate it into Resilience's existing solution.
This includes specific resources for healthcare professionals who screen for malnutrition and provide nutrition advice to patients to address its risks, as well as patient resources developed with healthcare professionals to provide nutrition advice tailored to individual nutritional risk level and type of cancer.
Danone is continuously looking for ways to better support patients with cancer and positively contribute to their well-being, the key to which is establishing nutrition as an integral part of cancer care, van Laere added.
“Both healthcare professionals and patients are looking for holistic solutions that cover all dimensions of a person’s treatment and recovery journey in an integrated way,” she explained. "Integrating a nutrition module into a comprehensive digital solution can help improve cancer-related malnutrition care by supporting healthcare professionals in the early detection of nutrition issues.”
