Onco-nutrition is a topic that generates much discussion, but only trained professionals can provide the right guidance. The diet for cancer patients is often muddled by trends, fad diets, and myths that lack solid research or scientific backing. As patients navigate these options, their nutritional needs can be overlooked, leading to malnutrition and a deficiency in essential nutrients during treatment. Evaluating and monitoring a patient’s diet is crucial from the moment cancer is diagnosed. Lifestyle changes, including increased physical activity, proper hydration, and moderation in sugar and processed food intake, can significantly impact cancer prevention and recovery.

Nutrition plays a vital role in both preventing and managing cancer. It’s essential to assess a patient’s nutritional status to create a supportive diet plan for recovery.

• Cancer can alter sensory perceptions like taste and smell, as well as appetite, and can also lead to fluctuations in blood parameters.
• The body’s ability to digest and absorb food can be affected by the tumor’s location, the affected organ, and any metastasis.
• These changes can result in weight and muscle loss, which may lead to malnutrition if not addressed promptly.
• Malnutrition can hinder treatment, weakening the patient’s ability to combat the disease and diminishing their quality of life.

While all nutrients—both macronutrients and micronutrients—are important for healing, protein needs are particularly elevated in cancer patients. Insufficient protein intake can cause muscle loss, while deficiencies in other nutrients can impede recovery. Although all patients require a balanced diet, individual needs vary based on personal circumstances, making it essential to provide the right nutrients in the appropriate quantities and consistency.

At the HOPE Oncology Clinic, an onco-nutritionist who guides patients and their caregivers on the appropriate diet during treatment by assessing patient taste buds, physical condition, and cravings. This personalised diet plan helps patient feel satisfied, which also helps them to tolerate the treatment better, leading to improved quality of life.

Diet plans are customized according to the

• patient’s treatment regimen
• medical history
• addressing side effects and challenges faced during chemotherapy
• Flexibility in dietary options
• prompt adjustments when a patient’s nutritional needs are unmet

Nutritionists collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to provide medical nutrition therapy and help meet patients’ nutritional requirements.

Fighting cancer is undoubtedly challenging, but with proper dietary and nutritional support, patients can enhance their chances of survival and recovery. A well-balanced diet is essential not only for combating the disease but also for ensuring a healthy recovery.