In 2020 the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) published a position statement on cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia. The document outlines the position of COSA on the role of health professionals and health services in recognising and treating patients with cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia.
About the toolkit
Toolkit purpose
This toolkit is intended for use by clinicians and health services to train clinicians, develop the services required and advocate for resources to support optimal management of cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia.
How the toolkit was developed
The toolkit was developed by members of the COSA cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia working group.
Resources were iteratively developed and refined over several workshops with working group members and clinicians. Once developed, the toolkit underwent usability and acceptability testing via an end-user review with multidisciplinary clinicians from across Australia. The toolkit was then further refined based on feedback from this review.
The toolkit was funded by an educational grant from Abbott Australasia.
Enhancements to the toolkit
Next steps
This project forms stage 1 of a larger planned staged implementation process to develop a toolkit to support implementation of the COSA position statement on cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia and evaluate the outcomes of implementation.
The project is planned to be a staged implementation process conducted over three stages:
Stage 1: Develop and disseminate toolkit content to support screening and assessment of cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia
Stage 2:Develop and disseminate toolkit content to support treatment and transition of care of cancer-related malnutrition and sarcopenia
Stage 3: Evaluate implementation of the toolkit via a pilot test in 2-3 health services and a survey of cancer clinicians
Feedback from users
We welcome feedback from toolkit users. If you have any comments or suggestions to improve the toolkit please email jane.stewart@petermac.org.
Acknowledgements
COSA would like to thank the Cancer-Related Malnutrition and Sarcopenia Working Group members for their outstanding contribution and acknowledge the Chair, Ms Jenelle Loeliger and project dietitian Ms Jane Stewart for leading this project.
COSA also thanks the oncology clinicians and stakeholders who contributed to the development and review of the toolkit and gratefully acknowledges the feedback provided during the end-user review.
Project Team members
Ms Jenelle Loeliger AdvAPD- Chair
COSA Nutrition Group Chair, Manager Nutrition and Speech Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Ms Jane Stewart APD - Project Dietitian
Clinical Lead Dietitian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Prof Judy Bauer FDA
Professor Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University
A/Prof Merran Findlay AdvAPD
Executive Research Lead, Cancer Nutrition, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
A/Prof Nicole Kiss AdvAPD
Victorian Cancer Agency Clinical Research Fellow Co-lead, Exercise and Nutrition for Cancer Research Group, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University
Project Steering Committee members:
Ms Jenelle Loeliger AdvAPD - Chair
Ms Jane Stewart APD - Project Dietitian
Prof Judy Bauer FDA
A/Prof Merran Findlay AdvAPD
A/Prof Nicole Kiss AdvAPD
Dr Brenton Baguley APD
Lecturer in Dietetics, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University
A/Prof Steve Fraser
Discipline Lead Clinical Exercise, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University
Prof Sandra Hayes
Senior Research Fellow, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University
Ms Catherine Johnson
Cancer Nurse Coordinator, Calvary Mater Newcastle
Dr Chris Lomma
Medical Oncologist, Fiona Stanley Hospital
Dr Carolyn McIntyre
Senior Lecturer, Exercise Medicine Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Science, Edith Cowan University
Ms Tracey Nicholls
ENT Nurse Practitioner, Flinders Medical Centre
Dr Lina Pugliano
Medical Oncologist, Northern Cancer Institute / Cancer Fit Australia
A/Prof Tina Skinner
Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland
Instructional video working group members:
Ms Jane Stewart APD - Co-facilitator
A/Prof Nicole Kiss AdvAPD– Co-facilitator
A/Prof Steve Fraser
Ms Tracey Nicholls
Ms Amy Bowman
Senior Clinical Physiotherapist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Ms Megan Sanders APD
Clinical Oncology Dietitian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Generic pathway and audit tool working group members:
Ms Jane Stewart APD - Co-facilitator
Ms Jenelle Loeliger AdvAPD - Co-facilitator
Prof Sandra Hayes
Dr Chris Lomma
Mr Shane McAuliff APD
Oncology/Research Dietitian, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse
Ms Louise Moodie AdvAPD
Director Dietetics, Allied Health & Clinical Support Services, Mackay Hospital and Health Service
Case studies and tips to overcome barriers working group members:
Ms Jane Stewart APD - Co-facilitator
Prof Judy Bauer FDA - Co-facilitator
A/Prof Merran Findlay AdvAPD - Co-facilitator
Dr Brenton Baguley APD
Ms Catherine Johnson
Dr Carolyn McIntyre
Dr Lina Pugliano
Ms Manelle Challita
Physiotherapist, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse
Ms Carol Chan
Physiotherapist in Continence and Pelvic Floor Disorder, Cancer Rehabilitation, Digestive Pelvic Floor Centre
Dr Ashfaq Chauhan
Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Patient Safety Movement Foundation Fellow, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University
Ms Tiffani Jones APD
Oncology Dietitian, Calvary Mater Newcastle
Dr Michael Krasovitsky
Medical Oncologist, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre
Conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales
Ms Marina Nguyen APD
Clinical Oncology Dietitian, Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Alfred Health
Production of instructional videos:
Ms Amy Bowman
Senior Clinical Physiotherapist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Ms Megan Sanders APD
Clinical Oncology Dietitian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Ms Zhen Yu
Student Dietitian, Deakin University
Mr Darren Steele
Cancer consumer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Mr Chris Baker
Video production, Skrilled
Multidisciplinary clinicians conducting end-user review:
We thank the following clinicians for their thoughtful end-user review:
Ms Lauren Atkins AdvAPD
Co-director, OnCore Nutrition
Dr Megan Crichton APD
Research Fellow, Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Lara Edbrooke
The University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Ms Michelle Eisenhuth
Senior Oncology and Haematology Dietitian, Nepean Hospital and Nepean Cancer and Wellness Centre
Dr Hayley Griffin
Clinical Oncology Society of Australia
Dr Michael S Krasovitsky
Staff Specialist Medical Oncologist, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre
Ms Sandra McKendry
Cancer Care Coordinator Head and Neck, Calvary Mater Newcastle
Mr Rohan Miegel
Physiotherapist, Flinders Medical Centre
Ms Meredith Oatley
Nurse Practitioner Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital
Ms Belinda Steer APD
Manager Nutrition and Speech Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Ms Talisha Varoxis
Oncology Dietitian, Calvary Mater Newcastle
Plus additional clinicians who also kindly participated
Editing of toolkit resources and webpage
Ms Megan Sanders APD
Clinical Oncology Dietitian, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Dr Hayley Griffin
Clinical Oncology Society of Australia
Project Funding
The toolkit was funded by an educational grant from Abbott Australasia. 