Jena, March 09, 2026. The Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ) and the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) have concluded a quality contract that has attracted nationwide attention. The goal is to detect and treat the often life-threatening malnutrition in cancer patients in Thüringen at an early stage.
- What: New quality contract for better nutritional therapy in cancer
- Who: Universitätsklinikum Jena and Techniker Krankenkasse (TK)
- Background: Approximately 20 percent of cancer patients die from the consequences of malnutrition, not from the tumor itself.
- Location: Universitätsklinikum Jena, Lobeda
The Fight Against Malnutrition
Surveys by the German Society for Nutritional Medicine show an alarming picture: one-fifth of all cancer patients do not die from the direct consequences of the cancer, but because the body is no longer sufficiently supplied with nutrients. To effectively counteract this development in Thüringen, the Jenaer Uniklinikum and the TK are now increasingly focusing on structured nutritional therapy. Through the new quality contract, patients are to receive closer care in the future and nutritional plans tailored individually to their physical needs.
During intensive cancer therapy, the human body consumes a particularly large amount of energy to process the treatments. At the same time, side effects such as severe loss of appetite, nausea, or changes in taste often lead to those affected eating far too little. The new cooperation is intended to ensure that this critical weight loss is stopped even more promptly in the future and that patients do not fall into a dangerous downward spiral.
Background: The Universitätsklinikum in Lobeda
The Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ) in the district of Lobeda is the only university hospital in Thüringen and a central point of contact for the most seriously ill patients from the entire region. Lobeda itself, originally built in the 1960s and 70s as a purely large residential development (prefabricated block architecture), has developed into a state-of-the-art medical and science location over the past decades through the steady expansion of the clinic, attracting tens of thousands of commuters and specialists.
Prevention and medical advice: Medical experts urgently advise cancer patients and their relatives to include the topic of nutrition in treatment planning from the very beginning. Small but very high-calorie and high-protein meals, special medical nutritional drinks, and early professional nutritional counseling can help maintain physical strength for exhausting therapies such as chemotherapy or radiation.
Source:
Cancer: How the Jena Clinic and the health insurance company want to improve treatment in Thüringen
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.