Balanced Diet for Cancer Patients

For many cancer patients, maintaining a balanced diet and adequate nutrition is crucial. Sustaining good physical strength is the best support for fighting the disease.

Whether it’s a malignant brain tumor or pancreatic cancer, a balanced diet plays a critical role in both treatment and recovery. A proper diet can not only boost the immune system but also help alleviate side effects and discomfort from treatment.

According to research, approximately 20% of cancer patients may succumb to malnutrition rather than the disease itself. In fact, up to 75% of patients are already experiencing malnutrition at the time of diagnosis. If weight loss exceeds 5%, it is essential to adjust dietary content and nutritional goals based on individual circumstances and the recommendations of doctors and nutritionists. These adjustments should take into account the type and stage of cancer as well as other medical conditions. Regarding weight management, patients should aim to maintain stable body weight and minimize fluctuations. Adequate intake of protein and calories is crucial for healing, fighting infection, and sustaining sufficient energy levels.

Avoiding harmful foods and regularly communicating with nutritionists and doctors to ensure the scientific validity and effectiveness of the dietary plan is an important step in managing health during and after cancer treatment.

Dietary Restrictions for Cancer Treatment

Brain Cancer Patients Should Pay Attention to the Following Dietary Restrictions:

Avoid Raw Foods: Raw meats and fish may contain bacteria and should be avoided.
Limit Alcohol Intake:
- Alcohol may interact with certain therapeutic drugs and exacerbate the discomfort of patients experiencing dry mouth and oral mucosal ulcers.
- Many medications used to treat brain cancer, such as Temozolomide, may interact with alcohol, potentially slowing down the drug’s breakdown and increasing side effects.
High-fiber or Coarse Foods: Avoid foods that are hard to digest or may cause digestive issues.
Control High-Salt Foods: High-salt diets can lead to edema or increased blood pressure.
Saturated Fat Foods: These may increase cholesterol and body burden.
Processed Foods: Reduce intake of foods with preservatives and artificial additives to lessen body burden.
Irritating Foods: Decrease the intake of stimulating foods like coffee and spicy dishes.
Grapefruit: Should be eaten with a time gap from medication to avoid affecting drug metabolism and causing side effects.

Balanced Nutrition Guidelines

Patients with malignant brain tumors or pancreatic cancer often need surgery followed by further treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Since the body requires extra energy and nutrients to heal surgical wounds and resist infections, nutritional supplementation should start before surgery. Surgery can cause discomforts like loss of appetite, difficulty chewing or swallowing, and feeling full quickly, all of which can lead to post-surgery malnutrition and hinder recovery. Additionally, long-term illness may result in anorexia or cachexia, further affecting nutritional intake and body function.

According to a recent report from Seven Plus Japan, 67-year-old Japanese financial analyst Takuo Morinaga was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer at the end of last year. After undergoing chemotherapy and narrowly escaping death, he began to live freely without restrictions. Today, he remains actively involved in his radio program work and shares his dietary habits, which include eating yogurt daily and consuming a large amount of meat. Morinaga claims that this diet has improved his physical condition to the point where he no longer feels at risk of death. Psychiatrist Dr. Hideki Wada supports this approach, stating that elderly individuals should not diet as it can weaken the immune system. He also pointed out that cancer patients should focus on maintaining their weight and immune strength. Yogurt is beneficial for regulating the gut and boosting immunity, and trying various types of yogurt can be advantageous for health.

To maintain balanced nutrition for patients with poor appetite, the following methods can be tried:

Small, Frequent Meals: Eat small portions every 2-3 hours or whenever feeling hungry, without overburdening the digestive system.
Rest Before Eating: If feeling tired, rest before eating to restore energy.
Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Choose nutrient-rich foods or patient favorites, and keep snacks and drinks handy for convenient nutrition replenishment.
Appetizing Foods: Consume foods or drinks that stimulate appetite, like sour plum soup or juice, and maintain moderate exercise to promote gastrointestinal motility.
Enhance Cooking Appeal: Improve food appearance, aroma, and taste to boost appetite.

Dietary Recommendations to Reduce Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

The primary goal of cancer treatment is to kill cancer cells, but there is also a high chance that it will damage healthy cells. On days when you feel uncomfortable, you can try changing your eating habits to help combat these unpleasant side effects. (source)

Loss of Appetite: Poor appetite is a common side effect caused by cancer itself or its treatments. You can try eating smaller, more frequent meals or snacks instead of the standard three large meals a day. Choose foods you enjoy, and when you feel particularly unwell and have no appetite, consider drinking a protein shake or a smoothie made with fresh fruits as a liquid alternative.
Fatigue: This is another common side effect. Ensuring that your body gets enough energy and hydration is crucial. You can supplement your diet with easy-to-prepare foods such as fruit and cereal to maintain energy levels throughout the day.
Changes in Taste: Chemotherapy often affects your taste buds, making foods you once enjoyed taste strange or unpleasant. Experiment with different flavors and textures to find what you like best. You can also try adding spices, stronger flavors, or citrus-based foods to enhance taste.
Mouth or Throat Discomfort: This is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Dry mouth can make chewing and swallowing food difficult. Opt for soft or liquid foods to ease swallowing, such as soups, yogurt, and scrambled eggs. Avoid alcohol, citrus fruits, or spicy foods during this time, as they may irritate the mouth and worsen discomfort.
Constipation: Low fiber intake, dehydration, and lack of physical activity can all contribute to constipation. Eating foods rich in probiotics, such as yogurt or kimchi, and insoluble fiber can help regulate digestion and relieve constipation. Additionally, staying hydrated is essential for maintaining healthy bowel movements.
Nausea: An empty stomach can often worsen nausea, so eating small, frequent meals can help. Sucking on ginger or drinking peppermint tea may help alleviate nausea. You can also try making ginger-infused chicken soup to provide fluids and essential electrolytes. Avoid high-fat, greasy, or spicy foods, as they may irritate the digestive system. However, do not skip meals due to nausea.
Diarrhea: Reducing insoluble fiber intake while increasing soluble fiber consumption (such as oatmeal, mangoes, apples, cooked carrots, and green peas) can help manage diarrhea. If diarrhea is severe, focus on consuming foods and drinks rich in electrolytes, sodium, and potassium while staying hydrated. If diarrhea occurs more than three times a day, contact your healthcare team for appropriate treatment.
Unintentional Weight Loss: Loss of appetite and difficulty eating often lead to weight loss. To increase calorie intake, choose high-calorie foods such as cheese or stews made with meat and rice. Rich flavors and nutrient-dense meals can help boost your caloric consumption.

Nutritional Supplement Guidelines

In addition to a balanced diet, cancer patients may need to supplement with nutritional agents due to the disease’s impact or chemotherapy side effects. These are usually taken orally and contain one or more dietary ingredients. Cancer patients might use dietary supplements to alleviate symptoms or aid in cancer treatment.

Vitamin C: Beneficial for fighting infections, aiding wound healing, and maintaining tissue health, the pros and cons of antioxidants such as vitamin C for cancer patients undergoing treatment remain inconclusive. Therefore, it is recommended to prioritize the intake of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.
Probiotics: Studies show that probiotics help prevent diarrhea caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy and maintain normal digestive function and gastrointestinal health.
Melatonin: Helps maintain normal sleep cycles. In Taiwan, melatonin supplements should be taken under medical supervision.
Glutamine: An amino acid that aids in managing chemotherapy or radiotherapy-induced diarrhea and mucositis (oral ulcers), potentially preventing or alleviating mucositis to maintain the quality of life during ongoing drug treatment.

In addition to dietary control, the American Cancer Society points out that moderate exercise can improve cancer-related symptoms and side effects, such as fatigue (extreme tiredness), anxiety, depression, and sleep issues. It also helps with cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and body composition (how much of your body is made up of fat, bone, or muscle). Therefore, cancer patients should also maintain a habit of exercising and staying active.

Reference

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