Nutrition and NSCLC; Should We Administer Food Supplements?

Non-small cell lung cancer is usually diagnosed at the advanced stage of the disease. We have novel diagnostic tools. However, prevention is still the best way to deal with this disease. Patients receive different treatments with different adverse effects. Targeted treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy have entered everyday clinical practice. The nutritional status of a patient plays a crucial role in the treatment of the patient. Cachexia is observed in most cancer patients, and it has been identified as an independent factor in the overall survival of the patient. The improvement of nutritional status and metabolism directly impacts the quality of life, daily living, and overall survival of a lung cancer patient. We conducted a search on PubMed and Scopus and identified relevant publications. In this review, we will focus on the nutritional status of NSCLC patients and how food supplements assist in the QoL based on published literature. Additional information from other cancer types will be included where necessary.

Automated summary

Nutrition plays a crucial role in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients. Food supplements can assist in improving quality of life. Prevention is still considered the best approach to deal with this disease, with patients receiving different treatments depending on individual circumstances.