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Nutrition Therapy
Nutrition Therapy for Cancer Patients
Fatima Chaudhry
Why Nutrition for Cancer?
Nutrition is an important part of cancer treatment.
Healthy food
Feel Better
Stay Healthy
Benefits of Good Nutrition During Cancer
Treatment
 Keep up your energy and strength
 Maintain weight and body store for nutrients
 Better tolerate treatment related side effects
 Faster recovery
 Lower risk for infection
Screening and Assessment before
the Cancer Treatment
Screening and assessment may include questions about the
following:

Weight changes over the past year.

Changes in the amount and type of food eaten

Problems that have affected eating

Ability to walk and do other activities of daily living
Finding and Treating Nutrition Problems
Early
Early nutrition screening and assessment help to find problems:
How the patient's body can deal with the effects of cancer treatment
Underweight or malnourished patients
Help the patient gain weight or prevent weight loss
Decrease problems with the treatment, and help recovery.
Healthcare Team
A nutrition support team will check the patients nutritional
health during the treatment and recovery. Team may include:
 Physician
 Registered dietitian
 Nurse
 Psychologist
Main Goals for Nutrition Therapy
The main goals of nutrition therapy
for patients in active treatment &
recovery are to
 Provide nutrients that are missing
 Maintain nutritional health
 Prevent problems
Healthcare team will use nutrition to
do the following:
 Prevent or treat nutrition problems, preventing muscle and bone loss

Decrease side effects of cancer treatment and problems that affect
nutrition

Keep up the patient's strength and energy

Help the immune system fight infection

Help the body recover and heal

Keep up or improve the patient's quality of life
The goal of nutrition therapy for patients who
have advanced cancer
The goals of nutrition therapy for patients who have advanced
cancer include the following:

Control side effects.

Lower the risk of infection.

Keep up strength and energy.

Improve or maintain quality of life.
Information on advance cancer:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/nutrition/Patient/Page6
#Section_190
Nutrition Support…
Nutritional support is given to patient who is
not able to take in enough food by mouth
BY USEING
•
Enteral nutrition (through a tube inserted
into the stomach or intestines)
•
Parenteral nutrition (infused into the
bloodstream)
Nutrition Support
The nutrients are given in liquid formulas that have
 Water
 Protein
 Fats
 Carbohydrates
 Vitamins/Minerals
 The healthcare provider and patient should discuss the
benefits and harms of nutrition support
Effects of Cancer Treatment on Nutrition…
Nutrition and Surgery
Increases the body’s need for nutrition and energy.
The body needs extra energy and nutrients to:
 Heal wounds
 Fight infection
 Recover from surgery
Effects of Cancer Treatment on Nutrition…
Nutrition therapy can relieve or decrease the side effects of surgery.
Nutrition therapy may include the following:


Nutritional supplement drinks
Enteral nutrition (feeding liquid through a tube into the stomach or
intestines)

Parenteral nutrition (feeding through a catheter into the bloodstream)

Medicines to increase appetite
Effects of Cancer Treatment on Nutrition…
It is common for patients to have pain tiredness loss of appetite after
surgery.
Avoid carbonated drinks (ex. sodas) & foods that cause gas, such as:
 Beans
 Peas
 Broccoli
 Brussels sprouts
 Green peppers
 Cucumbers
Effects of Cancer Treatment on Nutrition…
Increase intake of high-protein and high-calorie foods for high energy
and help wounds heal.
Good choices include:
 Eggs
 Cheese
 Whole milk
 Ice cream
 Nuts
 Meat
Effects of Cancer Treatment on Nutrition
If constipation is a problem, increase fiber by small amounts and
drink lots of water.
Good sources of fiber include:
 Whole-grain cereals (such as oatmeal)
 Beans
 Vegetables
 Fruit
 Whole-grain breads
Chemotherapy affects cells all through the body
Healthy cells that normally grow and divide quickly may also be
killed. These include cells
 In the mouth
 Digestive tract
 Hair follicles
Chemotherapy may effect nutrition
May cause side effects that cause problems with eating and digestion.
The following side effects are common:

Loss of appetite.

Inflammation and sores in the mouth.

Changes in the way food tastes.

Feeling full after only a small amount of food.

Nausea/Vomiting.

Diarrhea.
Radiation Therapy and Nutrition..
Radiation therapy can kill cancer cells and healthy cells in the treatment
area. Damage depends on the
 Part of area
 The total dose of radiation and how it is given
Radiation Therapy and Nutrition
Radiation therapy to any part of the digestive system often has side effects
that cause nutrition problems
Some of the most common side effects include
 Loss of appetite
 Trouble swallowing
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 etc…
Stem Cell Transplant and Nutrition…
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and medicines used for a stem cell
transplant may cause side effects that keep a patient from eating
Some effect may include:
 Dry mouth or thick saliva
 Sore throat
 Nausea & Vomiting
 Diarrhea
 Weight loss or Weight gain
 Constipation
Stem Cell Transplant and Nutrition
Nutrition therapy is important who have stem cell transplant
Treatment may include the following:
 Cooked and processed foods only
 Guidelines on safe food handling
 A specific diet based on the type of transplant
 Parenteral nutrition (feeding through the bloodstream) during the
first few weeks after the transplant
Reference
 www.cancer.gov