The Role of Clinical Nutrition and the Management of Mucositis in Cancer Patients

📍 Milan – Hyatt Centric Milan Centrale, Via Giovanni Battista Pirelli
📅 November 9, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Scientific Directors: Riccardo Caccialanza, Ettore Corradi

Project Rationale

Malnutrition is an often underdiagnosed condition and one of the main complications of cancer treatment. It has a significant impact on survival, treatment tolerance, and quality of life.

Mucositis associated with cancer treatment and radiation therapy directly impairs oral food intake. For this reason, it is one of the main factors contributing to malnutrition in cancer patients.

Lombardy has become a national model for structured clinical nutrition programs in oncology. This is thanks to a dedicated regional network and Regional Government Resolution (DGR) XII/1812 of January 29, 2024, which made nutritional screening mandatory in Regional Health Service (SSR) facilities and in the home. The resolution laid the groundwork for systematic, multidisciplinary care of frail patients.

Given these circumstances, the paradigm of oncology nutrition is changing. It is evolving from a supportive measure to an integral part of treatment, to be initiated early in all patients at risk of malnutrition.

The meeting aims to take stock of the Lombardy model, the experiences of the leading regional cancer centers, and the prospects for further development. The approach is multidisciplinary and focused on equitable access and quality of care.

Scientific Directors

Riccardo Caccialanza – Director of the Department of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia; Full Professor, University of Milan

Ettore Corradi – Director of the Department of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, ASST GOM Niguarda, Milan

Preliminary Program

9:00 a.m. | Opening Remarks and Moderation
Riccardo Caccialanza, Ettore Corradi

9:15 a.m. | Official Remarks
Marco Alparone*, Mario Melazzini

9:30 a.m. | The Evolution of Clinical Nutrition in Cancer Care: From Early Stages to the AIOM Guidelines
Paolo Pedrazzoli

9:45 a.m. | The Clinical Nutrition Network in the Lombardy Region
Alessandro Scardoni*

10:00 a.m. | Nutritional Support in the Management of Mucositis
Aurora Mirabile

10:15 a.m. | Prospects for the Implementation of Clinical Nutrition in the Public and Private Healthcare Systems
Carlo Nicora*

10:30 a.m. | The Commitment and Role of Patient Organizations
Davide Petruzzelli

10:45 a.m. | The Commitment of Innovative Companies to Oncology Nutrition
Elena Paola Lanati

11:00 a.m. | The Role of the Hospital Pharmacist
Vito Ladisa*

11:15 a.m. | Coffee break

11:30 a.m. | The Lombardy Model for Nutritional Screening in Oncology: How Centers Have Implemented and Applied the Regional Resolution

  • ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Marco Andreoli
  • IRCCS Humanitas, Alberto Puccini
  • European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan, Roberto Biffi
  • IRCCS National Cancer Institute of Milan Foundation, Claudio Vernieri
  • IRCCS National Cancer Institute of Milan Foundation, Serena Della Valle
  • ASST Melegnano and Martesana, Annalisa Mascheroni
  • ASST Pavia, Nadia Cerruti
  • IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Andrea Pontara

12:45 p.m. | Discussion

1:00 p.m. | Closing and light lunch

*invited to participate

Faculty

  • Marco Alparone, Vice President and Councilor for the Budget and Finance, Lombardy Region
  • Marco Andreoli, Head of the Department of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia
  • Roberto Biffi, Director of the Peritoneal Cancer Surgery Unit, IEO Milan; Professor, University of Milan
  • Nadia Cerruti, Director of the Clinical Nutrition, Diabetology, and Endocrinology Department, ASST Pavia
  • Serena Della Valle, Head of the Clinical Nutrition Unit, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Foundation in Milan
  • Vito Ladisa, Director of the Hospital Pharmacy Department, IRCCS National Cancer Institute (INT) Foundation, Milan
  • Elena Paola Lanati, CEO & Founder, LIONHEALTH Società Benefit
  • Annalisa Mascheroni, Departmental Head of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, ASST Melegnano and Martesana
  • Mario Melazzini, Director General of Welfare, Lombardy Region
  • Aurora Mirabile, Head of Diagnosis and Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan
  • Carlo Nicora, Executive Director, Fondazione Molina Onlus
  • Paolo Pedrazzoli, Director of the Department of Oncology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia; Associate Professor, University of Pavia
  • Davide Petruzzelli, President and founder of La Lampada di Aladino ETS; Vice President of FAVO; Vice President of the AIOM Foundation
  • Andrea Pontara, Clinical Operations Management, Clinical Nutrition Division, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan
  • Alberto Puccini, Medical Director of the Oncology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas
  • Alessandro Scardoni, Director of the Clinical Care, Organizational, and Research Networks Division, Directorate General for Welfare, Lombardy Region
  • Claudio Vernieri, Medical Director, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Foundation; Professor, University of Milan

Registration

To participate, you must register using the online form:
👉 Fill out the registration form

📄 View the full schedule

Sponsored by La Lampada di Aladino ETS and MeNS – Medical Nutrition Support

Organizing Secretariat: Vivenko Società Benefit
With the non-binding support of Lionhealth Società Benefit

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Blue LH Jar

LH BLU: New “ FSMPs ” for the treatment of malnutrition in cancer patients, including those with mucositis