Today, on World Cancer Day, Danone is the first food company to join forces with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to advocate for the recognition that nutritional care is an essential part of cancer treatment and strengthen workplace protections for employees diagnosed with the disease.
Cancer-related malnutrition is a “pervasive yet overlooked challenge” in oncology, the global group stresses. It found that up to 70% of people living with cancer experience malnutrition, which has a negative impact on treatment effectiveness and recovery.
On average, one in three patients delays or discontinues treatment due to weight loss, while two out of three patients who require medical nutrition are unable to receive it.
Malnutrition not only has a negative impact on patients, it also places a huge burden on the healthcare system. Danone research estimates that cancer-related malnutrition costs the EU up to €17 billion (US$20 billion) annually.
In a new partnership, Danone is supporting its employees diagnosed with cancer through the Working with Cancer Pledge to ensure job security and reduce stigma. We also join organizations such as the European Cancer Agency in calling for standard oncology protocols to place greater emphasis on medical nutrition.
The company’s medical nutrition brand, Nutricia, offers products that address the unique needs of patients. Fortimerwith a sophisticated sensory profile that enhances the care experience. These innovations are accompanied by digital tools and educational resources for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
nutrition insights We speak to Katrien Van Leer, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Scientific Officer at Danone, about the critical gap between dietitian-led patient care and the growing movement in medical nutrition.
Why is malnutrition often overlooked in cancer treatment?
Van Leer: Cancer-related malnutrition can be overlooked at any point during the treatment process. Risk is already high at diagnosis and before treatment begins due to lack of standardized screening protocols, limited nutritional pathways, and competing resource pressures.
Vulnerability remains high during active treatment and at critical transition moments. Although side effects such as taste changes, fatigue, and gastrointestinal discomfort are widely recognized, their nutritional implications are not always identified early or systematically addressed.
As patients move between inpatient care, outpatient care, and recovery, nutritional responsibilities are often fragmented, increasing the likelihood that support will be delayed or lost altogether.
Up to 70% of people living with cancer experience malnutrition, but malnutrition remains a serious problem because it is treated as supportive rather than essential care.Up to 70% of people living with cancer experience malnutrition, but malnutrition remains a serious problem because it is treated as supportive rather than essential care. between 30-80% of patients Depending on the location of the tumor, weight loss may occur during the progression of the disease. Worryingly, malnutrition is thought to be the cause of symptoms such as: 20-40% of all cancer-related deaths.
Nutrition is not consistently integrated into clinical pathways, accountability is unclear, and access to specialist nutrition support varies widely across health systems. As a result, despite clear scientific evidence that malnutrition impairs treatment response, intervention is too slow.
How can nutrition be incorporated into international cancer care standards?
Van Leer: Rather than being considered optional, nutrition will be considered essential for patients to tolerate treatment, recover effectively, and maintain quality of life.
In practice, this includes regular nutritional screening from diagnosis onwards, setting clear thresholds for intervention and periodic reassessment during treatment and recovery. Nutrition is planned and considered as part of the treatment plan within a multidisciplinary team with defined responsibilities, appropriate resources, and measurable outcomes.
All patients should have access to appropriate nutritional screening and reliable, timely nutritional advice from trusted experts on a multidisciplinary medical team.
Which patient groups or cancer types are most at risk for treatment interruption due to malnutrition?
Van Leer: One in three cancer patients suffers from malnutrition, and certain patients with gastrointestinal cancers (such as colon, stomach, and pancreatic cancers), head and neck cancer, and lung cancer are at even higher risk.
Anyone undergoing cancer treatment can experience nutritional deficiencies, but older adults, people living with advanced disease, and people whose normal eating is prevented by high levels of inflammation or side effects of treatment (such as loss of appetite or changes in taste) are especially susceptible.
Therefore, ensuring that nutritional needs are identified and addressed early is essential to ensuring that patients continue on their treatment journey. In line with the world’s leading oncology society, the European Society of Medical Oncology, guidelines are needed that endorse the implementation of nutritional management as an integral part of cancer treatment and provide recommendations for the identification, prevention, and treatment of reversible components of malnutrition in adult cancer patients.
medical nutrition It has been clinically proven to help meet the nutritional needs of cancer patients, reduce treatment-related complications, and improve treatment outcomes.
How can policymakers justify prioritizing nutrition when oncology sector budgets are already under pressure?
Van Leer: Cancer-related malnutrition is a highly prevalent and under-recognized problem, affecting approximately one in three cancer patients each year. With approximately 20 million people diagnosed each year, the scale of the problem and its economic impact are significant.
Malnutrition causes avoidable costs throughout the cancer pathway. Patients experience more complications, longer hospital stays, higher rates of unplanned admissions, and lower treatment tolerance. This means that significant investments in oncology will not reach their full value if patients are too debilitated to receive or complete their intended treatment.
In Europe alone, cancer-related malnutrition costs are estimated to be up to €17 billion (US$20 billion) annually. Therefore, prioritizing nutrition is not an additional expense for policy makers. This is one of the most obvious ways to reduce waste, protect oncology budgets, and improve treatment efficiency.
Malnutrition causes avoidable costs throughout the cancer pathway.Ensuring patients receive timely care with nutritional support ensures that treatments work as planned and reduces pressure on already strained health systems.
Danone provides nutritional support to employees living with cancer. How can the lessons learned from this in-house approach be applied at the health system level?
Van Leer: Our priority is to provide active, non-judgmental support that adapts to each person’s reality, and that principle applies directly to what the health system can do.
Through our “Working with Cancer” pledge and its four pillars – employment safety net, personalized support, nutrition support programs and a “break down the stigma” culture – we ensure our employees living with cancer have peace of mind, flexibility and understanding at a time when uncertainty is overwhelming. Removing that fear allows people to focus on their health rather than protecting their jobs.
Cancer affects individuals in unpredictable ways, with symptoms fluctuating, energy levels changing, and support needs changing over time. A rigid, one-size-fits-all model just doesn’t work.
The same is true in medicine. A lesson learned from our internal approach is the need for individualized and adaptable support, including nutritional support, which must evolve with treatment and recovery.