CTCA presents research on new cancer nutrition therapies at A.S.P.E.N. Clinical Nutrition Week

Several Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) clinicians presented research from studies evaluating new cancer nutrition techniques and therapies at the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) Clinical Nutrition Week held in Long Beach, Calif., February 14-17, 2015. CTCA clinicians led a plenary session and an oral abstract presentation, and presented eight posters to Clinical Nutrition Week attendees.

The plenary session, which evaluated myths and facts related to integrative therapies for cancer patients, was led by CTCA Vice President of Integrative Medicine Carolyn Lammersfeld, MS, RD, CNSC, and CTCA Lead National Medical Director Pankaj Vashi, MD, along with Barry Boyd, MD, MS, of Yale School of Medicine and Ryan Hurt, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic. During the session, titled "Integrative Oncology Nutrition Myth Busting and Cancer Claims: Debating the Evidence," Lammersfeld and Dr. Vashi discussed the risks and benefits of various integrative therapies for cancer patients, including the use of coconut oil and fish oil supplements.

"Incorporating the latest medical technology and treatments with integrative nutrition therapies is crucial to providing comprehensive cancer care," said Lammersfeld. "Armed with the research we presented at Clinical Nutrition Week, we can better empower our patients with information to understand the growing number of supportive therapies that may help in their fight against cancer."

Dr. Vashi also presented an oral abstract session titled "The Relationship between Serum Vitamin B12, Methylmalonic Acid and Homocysteine in Advanced Cancer Patients." Cancer patients are vulnerable to vitamin B12 deficiency, but reports of normal or high serum B12 levels can sometimes be found in cancer patients who are in fact deficient. Dr. Vashi presented findings indicating that high levels of Methymalonic Acid (MMA) and Homocysteine (HC) are better indicators of B12 deficiency in cancer patients than the actual serum B12 level itself.

"Good nutrition is critical for cancer patients, and these results reinforce the importance of conducting thorough clinical assessments to identify patients that may have risk factors or symptoms suggestive of vitamin B12 deficiency," said Dr. Vashi. "At CTCA, meeting the nutritional needs of our patients is a core component of our mission of delivering exceptional clinical care."

The eight posters presented by CTCA clinicians at the meeting included:

• Renee Pieroth, RD, CSO, LDN and Nhu Huynh, RD, CNSC, CSO, LDN presented "The Impact of a Clinical Pathway on Length of Stay for Outpatients Receiving Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Feeding Tubes in Patients with Cancer"
  Co-author: Raman Battish, MD
• Nhu Huynh, RD, CNSC, CSO, LDN, presented "Comparison of Calculated Caloric Needs and Measured Resting Energy Expenditure in Hospitalized Cancer Patients"
  Co-authors: Jeffrey B. Hoag, MD, MS and Kellie Joseph, MS, RRT, RPFT
• Stephanie Paver, RD, CNSC, CSO, presented "Successful Treatment Outcome of the Oncology Patient due to Close Monitoring and Early Identification of Nutritional Deterioration"
• Ashley Baldwin, RD, CNSC, presented "Challenging High Output Ileostomy Successfully Managed with a Low FODMAP Diet Intervention"
• Julia Fechtner, RD, CNSC, CSO, presented "Impact of Aggressive Nutrition Support & Medical Nutrition Therapy in Patient with Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report"
  Co-author: Pankaj Vashi, MD
• Pankaj Vashi, MD, Persis Edwin, MD, Brenten Popie,l BS, Carolyn Lammersfeld, MS, RD, CNSC, Digant Gupta, MD, MPH, presented "The Relationship Between Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and Survival in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer"
  Co-authors: Pankaj Vashi, MD, Persis Edwin, MD, Brenten Popiel, BS, Carolyn Lammersfeld, MS, RD, CNSC, and Digant Gupta, MD, MPH
• Digant Gupta, MD, MPH, Kristen Trukova, MS, RD, CNSC, Brenten Popie,l BS, Carolyn Lammersfeld, MS, RD, CNSC, Pankaj Vashi, MD, presented "The association between pre-treatment serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and survival in newly diagnosed stage IV prostate cancer"
  Co-authors: Pankaj Vashi, MD, Persis Edwin, MD, Brenten Popiel, BS, Carolyn Lammersfeld, MS, RD, CNSC, and Digant Gupta, MD, MPH
• Pankaj Vashi, MD, presented "Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection Rates in Advanced Oncology Patients on Home Parenteral Nutrition: Impact of a Standardized Catheter Care Protocol — A Follow-up Two-Year Study