Dietary advice alone or with oral nutritional supplements after hospital discharge in colorectal cancer surgery patients: Five year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

The intervention group receiving dietary advice combined with oral nutritional supplements demonstrated significantly higher overall survival compared to the control group receiving dietary advice alone.

• Primary outcome was overall survival assessed at 5-year follow-up
• Statistical significance reached at P = 0.042
• 193 patients completed the 5-year follow-up (97 in intervention group, 96 in control group)
• Patients were colorectal cancer surgery patients identified as being at nutritional risk

Nutritional intervention (dietary advice plus oral nutritional supplements) was a favorable independent prognostic factor for overall survival after adjustment for confounding variables.

• Hazard ratio of 0.61 (95% confidence interval 0.38–0.98, P = 0.042)
• Analysis adjusted for confounding variables
• The hazard ratio indicates a 39% reduction in the risk of death in the intervention group compared to control

Secondary outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups at 5-year follow-up.

• Secondary outcomes included nonelective hospital readmissions, quality of life, 6-minute walk distance, and handgrip strength
• All secondary outcome comparisons yielded P > 0.05
• No statistically significant differences were observed in any functional or readmission outcomes between groups

The study was a 5-year follow-up of a two-arm randomized controlled trial in colorectal cancer surgery patients at nutritional risk.

• Control group received dietary advice alone; intervention group received dietary advice plus oral nutritional supplements
• 193 patients completed the full 5-year follow-up
• The trial enrolled patients following discharge after colorectal cancer surgery who were identified as being at nutritional risk
• The intervention was initiated post-hospital discharge