{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T17:26:28Z","timestamp":1786123588426,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786060800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Danone Nutricia S.p.A. Societ\u00e0 Benefit"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Malnutrition, a key factor in oncology, affects 20\u201370% of cancer patients and influences both cancer risk and outcomes, being linked to decreased treatment tolerance, higher toxicity, lower quality of life, and shorter survival. Although international guidelines recommend early and systematic nutritional screening, its adoption in clinical practice remains inconsistent. This study, promoted by the Italian College of Hospital Medical Oncology Directors (CIPOMO), aimed to provide a national snapshot of current organizational practices regarding nutritional screening, assessment, and management in Italian oncology centers. A 15-item survey was sent to 165 centers to investigate organizational practices and awareness of nutrition and physical activity in cancer care. Data were collected and analyzed as overall percentages. A total of 100 centers responded (61%). Although a nutritional assessment is routinely conducted at diagnosis in 67% of centers (n = 67), only 31 centers perform it for all patients. The remaining centers limit nutritional assessment to high-risk or selected patient groups. Moreover, although 86% of centers have dedicated professionals, multidisciplinary integration remains limited. Validated nutritional screening tools are used in 69% of centers, but follow-up reassessment is rarely systematic (15%). However, awareness of the importance of nutrition is high, with nearly all centers supporting educational interventions and dedicated nutritional pathways. Despite this high level of awareness, a significant gap remains between guideline recommendations and daily clinical practice. Standardizing early nutritional screening, enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration, and ensuring equitable and consistent access to nutritional services are crucial to fully integrating nutrition into oncology care and improving patient outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18162593","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T16:00:43Z","timestamp":1786118443000},"page":"2593","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Evaluating the Gaps in Nutritional Care for Cancer Patients: Insights from the CIPOMO (Collegio Italiano Primari Oncologi Medici Ospedalieri) National Survey"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6843-3369","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Federica","family":"Grosso","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Mesothelioma, Melanoma and Rare Cancer Unit, IRCCS AOU SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, 15121 Alessandria, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Aprile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oncology, Ospedale Universitario S. Maria della Misericordia, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale (ASUFC), 33100 Udine, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sandro","family":"Barni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale Treviglio, ASST Bergamo Ovest, 24047 Treviglio, BG, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sergio","family":"Bracarda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ospedale Santa Maria, 05100 Terni, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandro","family":"Bertolini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Social Security (ISS), 47893 Cailungo, San Marino"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gianfranco","family":"Filippelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale di Paola, ASP Cosenza, 87027 Paola, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carlo","family":"Garufi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, 00152 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Silvana","family":"Leo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale Vito Fazzi, 73100 Lecce, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alberto","family":"Scanni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale Fatebenefratelli-Oftalmico, 20121 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6030-407X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Giuseppa","family":"Sarobba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Oncology Unit, Ospedale San Francesco, ATS Sardinia, 08100 Nuoro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosa Rita","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale di Fabriano, AST Ancona, 60044 Fabriano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luisa","family":"Fioretto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Oncology Department, AUSL Toscana Centro, 50139 Florence, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paolo","family":"Tralongo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Oncology Unit, Oncology Care Network, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale 8, 96100 Syracuse, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151799","DOI":"10.1016\/j.soncn.2024.151799","article-title":"Nutrition Care in Cancer: An Overlooked Part of Patient-Centered Care","volume":"41","author":"Erickson","year":"2025","journal-title":"Semin. 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