Food for Thought: Are Radiation Therapists Able to Recognize Patients Who Would Benefit from Dietary Counseling?

Malnutrition is commonly seen in cancer patients before starting treatment and can worsen as they undergo radiation therapy. At the Odette Cancer Centre, there is currently no protocol or guideline for radiation therapists (RTs) to refer patients to registered dietitians before or during treatment. The aim of our study was to determine if RTs across Canada were able to identify and/or recognize nutrition-related side effects in patients during their course of radiation treatment who would require/benefit from a referral to a registered dietitian for additional support. An e-mail invitation with a link to an electronic questionnaire was distributed to RTs across Canada. Overall, 137 RTs responded (11% response rate) from across the country. Most respondents practice as treatment delivery therapists (75%). Seventy-five percent indicated that they were asked for advice on nutrition-related issues by patients. Self-assessment revealed RTs are more knowledgeable than confident in both recognizing patients requiring nutrition intervention and providing proper care. Analysis of open-ended questions indicates that RTs are knowledgeable in recognizing and providing appropriate interventions to patients. As RTs are positioned to be the first line to screen patients, they can provide quick and easy access to information and interventions in addition to making patient referrals to dietitians for additional support. To improve their confidence, educational sessions can be held with proper referral algorithms made available to RTs. This will provide better quality of care and improve the continuity of care, leading to improved patient care with better patient outcomes.