According to the American Cancer Society, following a nutritious diet during and after cancer treatment can make a patient feel better and stay stronger. It can decrease the severity of the side effects of treatment, shorten treatment time and increase its effectiveness. A well-nourished and strong body will respond best to chemotherapy and other cancer drugs that are administered in high doses.
Evaluating Weight Changes
Calculating a cancer patient's percentage of usual body weight can indicate his current nutritional status in relation to his illness. Although a patient's body mass index (BMI) can suggest that he is of normal weight, his percentage of body weight loss (calculated by formula: [usual body weight - actual weight x 100] / [usual weight]) will determine whether his weight loss is suggestive of cancer cachexia, which includes symptoms such as anorexia and fat and muscle tissue wasting. If a patient's percentage of body weight loss is 7 percent or greater in the past six months, the patient should improve his nutritional status to preserve lean body mass that could benefit cancer treatment.
Protein Requirements
When a cancer patient undergoes chemotherapy and/or radiation, his body enters a hypermetabolic state (increased rate of metabolism). Observed muscle and tissue wasting could be demonstrative of a diet low in protein and calorie intake. Protein is essential for rebuilding normal tissues, which are affected by chemotherapy. According to WebMD, protein is also needed for the overall repair and maintenance of the immune system. For these reasons, cancer patients are advised to increase their protein intake to 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. This means that a 165-pound (74 kilograms) male cancer patient should be consuming from 90 to 120 grams of protein per day.
Importance of Iron
For a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy treatment, low hemoglobin and hematocrit levels can suggest a chemotherapy-induced anemia that can be treated with a diet rich in iron. Chemotherapy is prescribed to patients to kill cancer cells yet it also can kill healthy red blood cells and inhibit the body's red blood cell production, leading to anemia. According to the Patient Advocate Foundation, anemia is one of the most prevalent and longterm side effects of chemotherapy and greatly contributes to patients' excessive fatigue, rapid heartbeat, paleness and shortness of breath. Iron can raise hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and fight anemia giving the cancer patient more energy and strength. Foods rich in iron include whole grains, such as bran cereal and cream of wheat, meat, fish, poultry, dark green, leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds and oranges.
Features of a Neutropenic Diet Plan
A major side effect of cancer treatment is the development of neutropenia (lowering of the white blood cell count) that is caused by bone marrow damage and suppression. A low white blood cell count can significantly raise a cancer patient's susceptibility to infection and, therefore, is critical to control and repair using a neutropenic diet plan. A neutropenic diet plan is designed primarily to limit the patients' exposure to food-borne pathogens in hopes of preventing infections to which the patient is especially vulnerable. Some precautions that cancer patients should consider are safe ways to shop, store and prepare food, such as checking expiration dates and fully cooking all fruits and vegetables before eating them.
Recommendations
To achieve optimal nutrition, cancer patients should first focus on reducing their uncomfortable physical side effects that impact food intake, appetite and increased rate of metabolism, which leads to severe weight and muscle loss. For instance, if a patient endures mouth sores and pains, it is helpful to eat soft foods, which might include ice cream, popsicles, milk shakes, smoothies, pudding, yogurt, and sherbet. It is also important for a cancer patient to eat more colorful fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals to ward off flu-like symptoms and keep the immune system strong. It is important to identify foods that are most palatable to the patient and ensure that those foods are easily accessible. Condiments can also be useful for enhancing the taste of some foods to help stimulate appetite.
