Screening of nutritional status - characteristics of Nutritional Screening Tools in everyday medical practice

Introduction: Malnutrition has been defined by ESPEN (European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism) as a condition resulting from the lack of absorption or intake of nutrients, leading to changes in body composition, and the weakening of physical and mental functions. Older individuals and cancer patients are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. It has been proven that malnutrition is an independent risk factor for many diseases, significantly worsening treatment outcomes, increasing the frequency of infectious complications, prolonging hospitalization, deteriorating the overall condition of patients, and affecting the quality of life. Therefore, the proper identification of individuals at risk of malnutrition or already malnourished depends on the availability of reliable, simple, and quickly implementable screening tools, as well as the training of medical personnel regarding their practical application. Assessing the nutritional status of patients before planned oncological treatment, followed by appropriate dietary intervention aimed at improving this status and providing metabolic support, can have a crucial impact on treatment outcomes. Meanwhile, the practice shows that the issue of malnutrition is often downplayed or even overlooked by clinicians.Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the most commonly used and widely distributed scales for assessing the nutritionalstatus of patients and highlight the differences between them, thus assisting the clinician in selecting the tool that best suitsthe patient, considering the specific clinical situation.Recommendation for paperwork content: We believe that the information provided in the text, along with a table comparingten selected scales for assessing nutritional status and the risk of malnutrition, will serve as a valuable aid for the clinicalphysician in daily practice and patient care. We consider our manuscript to hold significant educational value.