Samsung Seoul Hospital announced on the 23rd that it has developed "high-density care food" for cancer patients in collaboration with Samsung Welstory.
High-density care food refers to meals designed to provide sufficient calories and protein in small portions, according to the hospital. Many cancer patients struggle with eating because their digestive functions fail to fully recover even after successful surgery. Overseas studies have reported that 10% to 20% of cancer patients die from malnutrition rather than cancer itself.
Esophageal cancer patients in particular are known to face significant difficulty eating after surgery, often leading to nutritional imbalances.
The two organizations have been developing a customized nutritional intervention program since 2023 based on health behavior theory aimed at improving recovery and quality of life for esophageal cancer survivors. The program focused on resolving post-surgical swallowing difficulties and digestive problems while maintaining taste and nutrition comparable to regular meals.
After applying the care food, the compliance rate with nutritional guidelines during the stabilization phase following surgery and chemotherapy more than doubled, rising from 22.2% to 55.6%, according to the hospital. Overall health status also improved by an average of 8.3 points.
The hospital expects the care food to benefit not only cancer patients but also elderly individuals who have difficulty chewing and swallowing.
Kim Hee-chul, head of the Cancer Center at Samsung Seoul Hospital, said, "This is a meaningful challenge that combined clinical experience with food industry expertise to create a model that improves patients' lives. I hope this achievement will lead to innovative services not just for cancer patients but for the elderly population as a whole."