Unintentional weight loss referral checklist

Urgency tier

• More than 10 percent body weight loss in 6 months.
• Fever, night sweats, or persistent lymphadenopathy.
• GI bleeding, progressive dysphagia, or persistent vomiting.
• Severe functional decline or frailty.
• Focal neurologic deficits or new mass.

Minimum pre-referral workup

• Document weight trend and timeframe of loss.
• Review appetite, GI symptoms, and psychosocial factors.
• CBC, CMP, TSH, and A1C.
• ESR or CRP if inflammatory cause suspected.
• Age-appropriate cancer screening updates.

Referral packet checklist

• Amount and timeline of weight loss, with recent weights.
• Associated symptoms and risk factors.
• Screening history and results.
• Lab results and imaging already completed.
• Medications, substance use, and comorbidities.

Pre-referral optimization tasks

• Begin nutrition support and hydration strategy while awaiting referral.
• Review medications and psychosocial barriers that may be reducing intake.
• Reinforce return precautions for rapid decline, inability to eat or drink, or new alarm symptoms.

References

• Canadian Cancer Society Weight loss (opens in a new tab)

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