Cancer patients, especially those who are in the midst of treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation, must follow special diets to ensure they get the nutrition they need to stay strong and help them heal. However, eating a healthy diet when you have cancer isn't always easy because of side effects of the treatments and symptoms of cancer.
Purpose
A special diet for cancer patients must provide suitable nutrition for the patient without putting the patient at risk of infections such as food-borne illnesses due to viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms found in some foods. The diet must give the patient enough energy to fight disease and heal properly. A cancer patient may lose some weight, but ideally, the diet will prevent weight loss -- in some cases, the patient may gain weight.
Components
A high-calorie, high-protein diet is needed by most cancer patients. This diet should consist of healthy food choices, such as lean proteins, fruits, whole grains and vegetables, instead of unhealthy food choices such as snack cakes. To get extra calories from food choices, one option is for the patient to eat dried fruits or drink fruit juice instead of eating fresh fruits.
Types
The optimal diet for a cancer patient is a diet that consists of regular foods, but some cancer patients can't handle eating regular foods. In that case, a liquid diet may be appropriate. This liquid diet may be taken orally or may delivered via a feeding tube. Some cancer patients may need total parenteral nutrition, which is given via a central venous catheter.
Considerations
Side effects of cancer and cancer treatments may make getting proper nutrition difficult. Loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, altered taste and food aversions are some of the side effects that may make following a diet difficult. A cancer patient who experiencing any of these should speak to a doctor or nutritionist about how to deal with these side effects and still get all the nutrients necessary.
Warning
Through the course of treatment, a cancer patient may experience a low absolute neutrophil count. When this occurs, the patient's immune system is suppressed and can't fight off infections. A cancer patient that has an ANC of 500 cells/mm3 is considered neutropenic and must follow a neutropenic diet, which includes ensuring that food safety procedures are followed, foods are thoroughly cooked, and fresh fruits and vegetables are avoided. Eating out, choosing foods from salad bars and street vendors, as well as deli foods, are discouraged on this diet.
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