Nutritional Risk Screening in Oncology: From Diagnosis Through Survivorship

Abstract

Malnutrition affects a substantial proportion of patients with cancer and is associated with reduced tolerance of anticancer treatment, prolonged hospital stays, poorer quality of life, and worse survival. Despite its clinical importance, nutritional screening is not consistently integrated into routine oncology practice. This narrative review examines the rationale for routine nutritional risk screening, summarizes commonly used screening and assessment tools, and discusses practical approaches to screening across the cancer care continuum, from diagnosis and active treatment to survivorship. The potential role of mobile health (mHealth) technologies in extending nutritional screening and support beyond conventional clinical settings is also considered. The reviewed literature demonstrates considerable variation in the prevalence of malnutrition across tumor types and clinical settings, as well as the absence of a single universally accepted screening tool. Emerging evidence on app-based nutritional support is promising but remains limited. Integrating brief, validated nutritional screening into routine oncology workflows, complemented by appropriate nutritional assessment and emerging digital technologies, may facilitate earlier identification of patients at risk and support timely nutritional intervention throughout the cancer care continuum.