Nutritional workshops for cancer patients: a pilot approach

The authors describe an original experience with 3 years of a nutritional w orkshop for cancer patients. This intervention combine an information about nutritional aspects of cancer with psychosocial support, to buffer psychol ogical and nutritional consequences of cancer. Tire workshop, leaded by two specialized teams, one in medical oncology, the other in public health, is proposed to patients during and after a specific treatment. In one day, it provided information about nutrition and cancer, diet education and psycho social support with supportive-expressive group. At this day, the evaluatio n of dais intervention is only subjective. Fifty-six patients participated in at least one workshop, with majority of women (91%). Nineteen workshops were leaded with average participant number of 7 per workshop the third yea r. The authors believe that nutritional workshops ar e of great help for ca ncer patients, by enhancing social reinsertion, giving opportunity of emoti onal expression and humanizing the treatment. Our experience show it is pos sible to propose psychosocial intervention in institution in the context of Mediterranean country. We are leading currently a study that will permit a more systematic evaluation of the effects of this intervention.