JOINT POLICY SEMINAR

How can the nutrition community coordinate its efforts to advance nutritional care as a standard component of high-quality cancer care?

This Joint Policy Seminar was hosted by ESPEN, ONCA and MNI on September 13 2021 as part of the ESPEN Congress and reviewed the latest evidence regarding

• the impact of nutritional issues in cancer
• the barriers that patients face in accessing nutritional care across Europe
• what must now be done at European and country level to implement a fully integrated model of nutritional care in cancer, from diagnosis through the disease trajectory.

In our round table discussion, our panel of international experts were invited to give their insights and recommendations regarding the changes in policy and everyday practice needed to ensure that patients with cancer get the appropriate nutritional care.

The session concluded with the launch of a Joint ‘Call to Action’ on 7 concrete steps that policymakers, clinical oncology leaders and care providers must take if a practical model for integrated nutrition care in cancer is to be realised.

Watch the session on demand

Background

• With over 2.7 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year in Europe, how can we ensure access to optimal nutritional care for all, rather than the lucky few?
• Malnutrition remains the single most common complication in cancer, yet many gaps and barriers remain that cause patients to suffer avoidable complications and poorer than anticipated outcomes.
• ESPEN has already produced practical clinical guidelines on how to deliver nutritional care, but what more is needed to make it happen in practice?

The Programme

Welcome & Introduction

• Rocco Barazzoni, Executive Committee Chair, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)
• Ken Mastris, President, European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC)

Where are we now?

Do policy and practice reflect the latest evidence?

• The future of cancer care: why nutrition is a game-changer.
  Alessandro Laviano, Director Life Long Learning programme, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)
• Influencing the national cancer policy agenda: what does it take?
  Matti Aapro, President European Cancer Organisation (ECO)

The expert perspective

What will it take to deliver optimal nutritional care in cancer?

Panel session moderator: Niamh Rice, CEO, Previs Consulting

• Matti Aapro, President, European Cancer Organisation (ECO)
• Nicole Erickson, Expert Cancer Advisory Board, European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD)
• Ken Mastris, President, European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC)
• Alessandro Laviano, Director Life Long Learning programme, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)

Joint Call to Action

Launch of 7 recommendations for the implementation of optimal nutritional cancer care at EU member state level.

• Joost Wesseling, Executive Director, European Nutrition for Health Alliance (ENHA)

2021 MNI Grant Award

• Manuela Schaflechner, President, Medical Nutrition International Industry (MNI)
• Representative of 2021 MNI Grant winning project

Closing remarks

• Rocco Barazzoni, Executive Committee Chair, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)
• Ken Mastris, President, European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC)