BioPsychoNutritional Intervention in Cancer Patients

This data set has originated from a multi-professional integrated approach for the recognition and management of the nutritional and psychological needs of cancer patients. In particular, patients undertake a multi-professional, multistep process that includes the collection of both personal and clinical data, the evaluation of anthropometric measures, nutritional status and psychometric indices, and an ensuing personalized nutritional prescription along with psychological support, ultimately leading to combining nutritional and psychological interventions, to control their adherence to the nutritional program, and to consolidate motivation to change. Overall, 120 patients were recruited for the study. The majority (84.2%) were females. Breast cancer was by far the most frequent malignancy (52.5%), followed by colorectal (17.5%), pancreatic (9.2%), ovarian (9.2%), and lung (5.0%) cancer. Results of nutritional and psychological screening at baseline indicate that only 35% of patients had a normal BMI, whilst a relatively high proportion (nearly 32%) was overweight or obese (25%). The INRAN and MEDI-LITE questionnaires, respectively used to assess the eating habits and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, revealed a mixed prevalence of cereals/cereal-based, fresh/processed meat, and fish or fishery food, with a medium-low adherence to the Mediterranean diet in nearly 38% of patients. The BUT, HADS, and SF-36 tests, used to assess psychological disturbances, showed that 37.5% of patients had disorders of body image, 29.2% abnormal anxiety, and 20.0% a depression state, while no significant association was observed between the SF-36 PCS and MCS and patients’ characteristics.