Malignant tumor has become a serious challenge against fitness of human-being and the most common complication of tumor patients is malnutrition which extremely shortens the survival time of patients. Furthermore society is subject to huge adverse impact. In consequence it is of great significance to improve malnutrition for cancer patients. Food for special medical purpose FSMP is easy to digest and absorb according to different types of nutrients through scientific formula and has good adaptability to patients. It can preserve the digestion and absorption function of patients to a greater extent and can be used as a way of nutritional support. There is prominent discrepancy between tumor cells and normal cells in metabolism. FSMP can provide enough nutrition and energy for normal cells while improving tumor microenvironment disrupting tumor metabolism and inhabiting tumor growth. However at present the formulation of special medical food for cancer patients at home and abroad has not formed a systematic individualized and standardized nutritional treatment mode which brings great challenges to the development of special medical food related to cancer. This article reviews the research hotspots progress existing problems development status and nutritional intervention for malnourished patients at home and abroad aiming to provide new ideas for the basic research and clinical application of tumor-related FSMP.