When you have cancer, it can be a challenge to eat well and get the nutrition that you need. It is important to find ways to maintain a healthy weight and eat nutritious foods. You also should drink plenty of water.

Sometimes, the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment can cause changes in your appetite and weight.

Some treatments can make you want to eat less, causing weight loss. Other cancer treatments can cause weight gain. Small changes in your weight are not a problem. But losing or gaining too much weight can affect your health during cancer and treatment. Good nutrition can help you stay as healthy as possible.

Did you Know?

Depending on tumour type, 50-90% of cancer patients lose weight!

Why is Nutrition Therapy Important for Cancer Patients?

Cancer and its treatment affect the body’s nutritional status. They can lead to a condition called cachexia, in which the patient loses weight and body mass wastes away. Some of the possible causes of cachexia in cancer patients are explained below.

Cancer changes the normal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, due to which the body may not be able to absorb and utilize nutrients from food like it normally does.

Patients may also eat less due to loss of appetite or perceived unpleasant taste and smell of food.

If sufficient glucose is not available, cancer cells utilize the body’s stored reserves of protein and fat. As protein synthesis is already affected and lean body mass is lost, it can lead to muscle wasting, weakness, and weight loss.

Cancer treatment like radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery leads to a number of side effects like nausea, vomiting, trouble swallowing, diarrhoea, and constipation.

All these changes deplete the nutrient stores in the body of a cancer patient.

Nutrition therapy is necessary to maintain the strength and resistance required to fight cancer cachexia, cope up with cancer therapy, and enhance its effects.

Why is Your Diet Important During Cancer Treatment?

Since cancer treatment can lead to fluctuations in appetite and body weight, it’s important to pay close attention to your diet. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet during chemotherapy or radiation therapy can:

• Keep your Strength & Energy
• Feel Better
• Maintain your weight & your body’s store of nutrients
• Better tolerance against treatments side effects
• Lower your risk of infection
• Heal & recover- Strong immunity

General Nutrition Recommendations During and After Cancer Treatment

Here are some general nutrition recommendations during cancer treatment:

Carbohydrates:

In cancer, if enough calories are not available from carbohydrates, the body starts breaking down proteins stored in the body. So, to spare protein reserves, adequate carbohydrates should be provided in the diet of cancer patients. The best sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and cereals.

Proteins:

Additional protein helps in healing and rebuilding tissues affected by cancer cachexia and the side effects of cancer treatment. It also helps build immunity to fight infections. A person suffering from cancer might need at least 1.5g of protein per kg body weight per day to ensure that the body gets enough amount of protein.

Good sources of protein include fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, dried beans, peas, lentils, and soy.

Fats:

Along with other nutrients, fats should also be supplied to cancer patients to make up for the inadequate daily intake.Omega-3, an essential fatty acid, can increase response to chemotherapy and should be consumed by cancer patients undergoing treatment. It can be obtained from seafood, walnuts, flax seeds, soybeans, and canola oil.

Dietary fibre:

Cancer patients frequently suffer from diarrhoea as a side-effect of treatment. Increasing the intake of Fructo oligosaccharides (FOS) from oats, barley, white rice, mashed potatoes, banana, fruits with skin, lentils, and beans in the diet may help treat diarrhoea and improve gut health.

Vitamins and minerals:

Cancer, in advanced stages, can lead to a deficiency of essential nutrients like zinc, selenium, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (α-tocopherol), folic acid, and vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin ). This increases the need for vitamins and minerals in cancer patients.

Antioxidants: Astaxanthin, curcumin, beta carotene, co-enzyme Q10, Resveratrol, and vitamin C have been known to improve the quality of life of cancer patients. Thus, cancer patients should eat fresh green vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants.