Cancer patients need to watch their nutrition. Often patients will have increased calorie, protein and vitamin needs. Cancer patients may become malnourished whether because of decreased dietary intake, vomiting or other situations. Good nutrition, through eating a variety of foods every day and taking a vitamin supplement, is necessary to increase likelihood of recovery and to help prevent remissions.
Considerations
For vitamin and mineral supplements to have full effect, the body must be meeting calorie and protein needs. Daily calories for cancer patients are increased to about 25 to 35 calories per k. Protein needs of cancer patients range for 1.0 to 2.5 g per k daily. Needs are individualized, and it is best to get specific energy and protein needs from a doctor or dietitian. If energy and protein needs are not met, vitamins and minerals will not be absorbable to their full potential, as the role of some vitamins is to aid in metabolism.
Multivitamins
It is safe for cancer patients to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Certain cancers increase need for specific vitamins. A multivitamin supplement should contain, vitamin C; the fat-soluble vitamins, which are vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K; and the essential B vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
Cancer Specific Vitamins
Specific vitamins help with certain types of cancer. Fat soluble vitamins and vitamin B12 supplements should be used for people with gallbladder, bile duct and pancreas cancer because the absorption for those vitamins may be impaired. Liver cancer should be supplemented with fat-soluble vitamins and folic acid.
Stomach cancer may cause people to have trouble absorbing fat; therefore the fat-soluble vitamins should be supplemented. Vitamin B12 may also be supplemented, as its absorption may be impaired.
Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are a common side effect to cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Vomiting can have significant nutritional effects. Often doctors may recommend and anti-vomiting medication. It is also recommended to take electrolytes, magnesium, sodium and potassium to replace electrolytes lost in vomit. Although these electrolytes and available over the counter, it is important to get a prescription from your doctor, as some risks are involved if an incorrect dose is taken.
Misconceptions
Cancer treatment outcomes are not usually effected by antioxidants. Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables may help to prevent cancer, but have yet to show a great effect in improving most cancer mortality rates or outcomes of cancer patients.
A study by Marga C Ocke et. al. done in the 1960s was aimed at determining whether antioxidant differences changed cancer outcomes in men aged 40 to 59. The research reviewed cancer patients in seven countries (Finland, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Japan, Serbia, USA) over 25 years and found that vitamin C intake may improve outcomes of stomach cancer. No differences were observed in outcomes from lung or colorectal cancer
References
- Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy; L Kathleen Mahan; 2008.
- A Health Professional's Guidie to Popular Dietary Supplements; Allison Sarubin Fragakis M.S. R.D.; 2007.
- International Journal of Cancer; Average intake of anti-oxidant (pro)vitamins and subsequent cancer mortality in the 16 cohorts of the Seven Countries Study; Marga C. Ocke; May, 1995.
