Nutrition in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Evidence-Based Clinical Strategies

Nutrition in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Evidence-Based Clinical Strategies | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Systematic Review Nutrition in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Evidence-Based Clinical Strategies Julia Maia Robaino Lopes This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545027/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy frequently experience metabolic alterations, gastrointestinal toxicities, systemic inflammation, and loss of lean body mass, all of which contribute to nutritional impairment. Malnutrition and cancer-related cachexia are highly prevalent in this population and have been associated with reduced treatment tolerance, increased complications, and impaired quality of life [1,2]. This comprehensive review synthesizes current scientific evidence on nutritional considerations in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 2010 to December 2025 to identify clinical studies, observational research, and international guidelines addressing nutritional status, dietary intake, symptom management, and nutritional support modalities in oncology care. Findings from the included studies were organized into clinically relevant thematic domains. The literature emphasizes early nutritional assessment, adequate energy and protein intake, individualized dietary approaches to address treatment-related symptoms, and appropriate use of nutritional support when oral intake is insufficient. Additionally, this review discusses emerging evidence on micronutrient interventions, the role of inflammation in cachexia, and practical strategies to integrate nutrition into oncology care. While heterogeneity among studies remains, the evidence underscores nutrition as an integral component of comprehensive cancer care during chemotherapy [3–7]. Nutrition Cancer Chemotherapy Malnutrition Cachexia Nutritional Support Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8545027","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Systematic Review","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":574862199,"identity":"d6b0df03-baab-41a0-b14e-a5c7c1125190","order_by":0,"name":"Julia Maia Robaino Lopes","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA50lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxgYwJSEDpj4AMRs7MVoOMEjwgDkzQFqYibHqAAMDWAszhCSgmnlG7jHpj3ssePilmw9/tvm1TZ6PmYHxw8ccPA6bkZcmceCZBI/knGNp0rl9tw3bmBmYJWduw6clx0ziwAEJHoMbOWbMuT23GYFa2Jh5idOS//mzZc9te1K05DBIM/y4nUhYS88bY4szB8B+MZPsbbid3MbM2IzXL4btOYY3Kg7UyQFD7PGHH39u285vbz744SM+LQ0wlgTIzjawzQ04FEOAPJwF0sLwB6/iUTAKRsEoGKEAAJHKTZqLWo22AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9035-9988","institution":"Independent Researcher, United States","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Julia","middleName":"Maia Robaino","lastName":"Lopes","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-07 20:31:03","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":true,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true,"humanSubjectConsent":true,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545027/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545027/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":100346961,"identity":"44887999-8a98-45b1-bcf7-3786025d6169","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-16 02:28:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":310925,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"NutritioninCancerPatientsUndergoingChemotherapyAComprehensiveReviewofEvidenceBasedClinicalStrategies.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8545027/v1_covered_572a38f8-f62a-49bb-89c1-d40d4bf0c9c3.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNutrition in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Evidence-Based Clinical Strategies\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Grand Canyon University","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Nutrition, Cancer, Chemotherapy, Malnutrition, Cachexia, Nutritional Support","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545027/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545027/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eCancer patients undergoing chemotherapy frequently experience metabolic alterations, gastrointestinal toxicities, systemic inflammation, and loss of lean body mass, all of which contribute to nutritional impairment. Malnutrition and cancer-related cachexia are highly prevalent in this population and have been associated with reduced treatment tolerance, increased complications, and impaired quality of life [1,2].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis comprehensive review synthesizes current scientific evidence on nutritional considerations in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 2010 to December 2025 to identify clinical studies, observational research, and international guidelines addressing nutritional status, dietary intake, symptom management, and nutritional support modalities in oncology care. Findings from the included studies were organized into clinically relevant thematic domains.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe literature emphasizes early nutritional assessment, adequate energy and protein intake, individualized dietary approaches to address treatment-related symptoms, and appropriate use of nutritional support when oral intake is insufficient. Additionally, this review discusses emerging evidence on micronutrient interventions, the role of inflammation in cachexia, and practical strategies to integrate nutrition into oncology care. While heterogeneity among studies remains, the evidence underscores nutrition as an integral component of comprehensive cancer care during chemotherapy [3–7].\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Nutrition in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Evidence-Based Clinical Strategies","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-16 02:28:25","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8545027/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"89edd4f4-4b3f-4ab0-9830-f3f5fe4e3743","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 16th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-16T02:28:25+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-16 02:28:25","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8545027","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8545027","identity":"rs-8545027","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}