**Undernutrition in Cancer Patients: A Major Health Issue**
Nearly half of all cancer patients suffer from undernutrition, a condition that threatens their survival. In Lyon, Inserm researchers have developed a range of personalized foods designed to meet the specific needs and desires of patients, in the hope of restoring their taste for life.
Undernutrition directly affects the overall health and quality of life of cancer patients. Doctors estimate that between 10% and 20% of these patients die each year, not from the disease itself, but from the consequences of nutritional imbalance. The latter occurs when food intake is insufficient to meet the body’s energy requirements. Involuntary weight loss, defined as a drop of 5% in one month or 10% in six months, impacts patients’ ability to tolerate and benefit from cancer treatments, while increasing the risk of infection, heart problems and falls.
Nicolas Benech, gastroenterologist and researcher at the Lyon Cancer Research Center, emphasizes that “the problem of undernutrition goes beyond simple weight gain. It is often linked to a traumatic experience around meals, with incomprehension on the part of those around the patient and a feeling of guilt on the part of the patient, who finds it difficult to regain his or her strength”. Undernutrition thus represents a medical and psychosocial challenge, recognized by the health authorities, affecting both the physical and psychological aspects of patients.
Unfortunately, options for combating undernutrition are limited. Standard food supplements are not suitable for patients undergoing chemotherapy, and when these solutions fail, invasive methods such as nasogastric tube or intravenous feeding are proposed, carrying their own risks. “There is no specific solution for those who can still eat orally but are unable to do so,” explains Benech.
**Developing Personalized Nutritional Profiles**
Benech advocates the development of tools that enable patients to regain control of their care, by reclaiming their food and the convivial moments that accompany it. As part of his Onco-Nutribiota project, he aims to create a new generation of tailor-made foods, adapted to the physiology of patients who have lost their pleasure and appetite, and have changes in their gustatory and olfactory perceptions. “To develop these recipes, it is essential to identify and understand the sensory transformations undergone by patients,” he explains.
From early 2025, around 200 cancer patients will take part in a study to assess their sensory changes through smell tests, culinary trials and measurements of food textures. A notable innovation will be the analysis of their oral and intestinal microbiota, which play a crucial role in nutritional health.
**The Importance of the Microbiota**
“At present, the microbiota is often neglected in the nutritional management of patients,” notes Benech. In cancer patients, the microbiota is frequently unbalanced, reducing the diversity of beneficial microorganisms. This imbalance affects taste, food perception, appetite and nutrient absorption. By studying the impact of the microbiota in these patients, researchers hope to integrate this knowledge into tailored nutritional interventions.
“Optimized foods must act on the microbiota while being designed to respond to each patient’s sensory changes,” adds Benech. The cohort will not only enable us to better understand sensory changes, but also to develop, in collaboration with Institut Lyfe, foods that meet identified needs. A varied range could include frozen desserts, hot or cold dishes, optimized for their nutritional value and eating pleasure.
Although the project is still in the development phase, the results are eagerly awaited. The foods designed could benefit many patients, including those without cancer. “Onco-Nutribiota could pave the way for widespread application in a variety of fields,” concludes Nicolas Benech. Eventually, these foods could be offered to around two million people in France suffering from undernutrition, including one child in ten and almost 40% of hospitalized elderly people.
Nicolas Benech is a gastroenterologist and researcher at the Lyon Cancer Research Center (unit 1052 Inserm/CNRS/Université Claude-Bernard – Lyon 1/Centre Léon-Bérard).
Author : M. R.