[The NOA project (Oncological Nutrition in Andalucía) in clinical practice: results 6 months after project completion].

Abstract

Introduction: the NOA project analyses the nutritional care of cancer patients in different centres in Andalusia, establishes areas for improvement (phases 1 and 2) and evaluates its implementation during a period of 6 months (phase 3). The results of the different phases have been previously published.

Objectives: to evaluate the degree of implementation of the different measures in clinical practice 6 months after the end of the project (12 months after the start of the project) in the Hospital Puerta del Mar (Cádiz).

Methods: prospective evaluation of the percentage of patients with nutritional screening, during hospitalisation and in outpatient clinics of Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology, of the participation of members of the Nutrition Unit in oncology committees and of the assessment of the patients presented at these sessions.

Results: during the duration of the project we observed a progressive increase in the percentage of patients with nutritional screening (both in hospitalised patients and in outpatients), a regular incorporation of members of the Nutrition Unit in tumour committees and an increase in the number of patients undergoing nutritional assessment and intervention. These results have been maintained after the end of the project.

Conclusions: the implementation of these measures has resulted in a change in the usual clinical practice in the nutritional care of cancer patients and an increase in the detection of patients in need of nutritional intervention.