Cancer and cancer treatments may cause nutrition-related side effects.

The diet is an important part of cancer treatment and eating the right kinds of foods before, during, and after treatment can help the patient feel better and stay stronger. To ensure proper nutrition, a person has to eat and drink enough of the foods that contain key nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fat, and water. For many patients, however, some side effects of cancer and cancer treatments make it difficult to eat well. Symptoms that interfere with eating include anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, trouble with swallowing, pain, depression, and anxiety.

Appetite, taste, smell, and the ability to eat enough food or absorb the nutrients from food may be affected. Malnutrition can result, causing the patient to be weak, tired, and unable to resist infections or withstand cancer therapies. Eating too little protein and calories is the most common nutritional problem facing many cancer patients. Protein and calories are important for healing, fighting infection, and providing energy.

Anorexia and cachexia are common causes of malnutrition in cancer patients.

Anorexia (the loss of appetite or desire to eat) is a common symptom in people with cancer. Anorexia may occur early in the disease or later, when the tumor grows and spreads. Some patients may have anorexia when they are diagnosed with cancer. Almost all patients who have widespread cancer will develop anorexia, the most common cause of malnutrition in cancer patients.

Cachexia is a wasting syndrome that causes weakness and a loss of weight, fat, and muscle. It commonly occurs in patients with tumors of the lung, pancreas, and upper gastrointestinal tract and less often in patients with breast cancer or lower gastrointestinal cancer. Anorexia and cachexia often occur together. Weight loss can be caused by eating fewer calories, using more calories, or a combination of the two. Cancer cachexia is not the same as starvation. A healthy person's body can adjust to starvation by slowing down its use of nutrients, but in cancer patients, the body does not make this adjustment.

Good eating habits during cancer care help the patient cope with the effects of the cancer and its treatment.

Nutritional therapy can help cancer patients get the nutrients needed to maintain body weight and strength, prevent body tissue from breaking down, rebuild tissue, and fight infection. Eating guidelines for cancer patients can be very different from the usual suggestions for healthful eating. Nutrition recommendations for cancer patients are designed to help the patient cope with the effects of the cancer and its treatment. Some cancer treatments are more effective if the patient is well nourished and getting enough calories and protein in the diet.

People who eat well during cancer treatment may even be able to handle higher doses of certain treatments. Being well-nourished has been linked to a better prognosis.

The National Cancer Institute

From Dr. Kolbaba's Perspective:

"It is widely understood that a poor diet may be a precursor to one's vulnerability to getting diseases like cancer. Once cancer has entered the body, it can encumber the body's ability to digest quality foods even under the best of conditions.

Coupled with the dangers and risks of conventional cancer therapy, most patients are unable to utilize important nutrients that are needed to assimilate such food. With this in mind, a Targeted Nutritional Program is a must for patients undergoing cancer treatment. Additional nutrients taken during cancer treatment will optimize digestion and assimilation of good food.

As we say on HealthQuest Radio, "just because you can chew it and swallow it...it don't make it food"....nor does it mean it will be of any nutritional value to your body...cancer or no cancer.

Under our Targeted Nutritional Program, a customized nutritional protocol will be created for you based on your personal needs, medical symptoms and blood work results. Expert knowledge and years of experience will guide and support you through your weekly Health Coaching sessions."

Be a part of the "unexplainable miracles" that occur in our HealthQuest Clinic. Schedule a New Patient Strategy Consultation with Dr. Kolbaba by calling our HealthQuest Radio Hotline anytime at 1-800-794-1855.