Utilization of a nutrition support algorithm reduces unnecessary parenteral nutrition use in pediatric oncology inpatients / Caroline Steele, Angela Salazar, Lindsay Rypkema

Adequate nutrition is critical for children with cancer. Although pediatric cancer continues to be a fairly common diagnosis (with one in 285 children falling ill before the age of 20 years), advances in treatment have resulted in significantly improved 5-year survival rates of nearly 80% today.1 However, these children are at increased risk for malnutrition. According to the literature, the rate of malnutrition in this population ranges from less than 10% to up to 50%.2-4 Children commonly lose weight before diagnosis, placing them at high risk nutritionally before even initiating treatment.

Nutrition