Contents:
- Medical Video: Nutrition & Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Explanation Video
- Why when chemotherapy appetite decreases dramatically?
- Are the nutritional needs of chemotherapy different from usual?
- Not tasteful, how can cancer patients fulfill their nutritional needs?
- What should be eaten before and after chemotherapy?
- Are there foods that are recommended and not recommended during chemotherapy?
- How to set a meal schedule during the right chemotherapy?
- What if the patient does not want to eat during chemotherapy?
Medical Video: Nutrition & Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Explanation Video
Chemotherapy is one treatment that is reliable enough to kill cancer cells. Even so, this treatment can cause many side effects, one of which is decreased appetite until the weight shrinks. In fact, cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy really need nutrition to speed up their treatment. In order for chemotherapy to remain smooth, this is the food guide during chemotherapy for cancer patients.
Why when chemotherapy appetite decreases dramatically?
Actually, the growth of cancer cells in the body can cause appetite to decrease. So, cancer cells will secrete cytokines that stimulate the brain to suppress their appetite.
Now, coupled with the side effects of cancer treatment which can on average make appetite decrease, chemotherapy treatment is one of them. Even so, the side effects of chemotherapy experienced by patients will depend on the type of drug and how long the drug is used.
Chemotherapy drugs usually cause indigestion, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting, and canker sores. This condition makes the patient not tasteful.
Plus, when the sense of smell and taste buds chemotherapy becomes less sensitive. So, patients feel less the taste and aroma of food. These side effects increasingly make people who are chemotherapy not want to eat.
Therefore, cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy need proper eating arrangements so that the nutrients are still fulfilled well even though they are having difficulty eating.
Are the nutritional needs of chemotherapy different from usual?
Cancer patients certainly have different nutritional needs from healthy people. Fulfillment of food intake during chemotherapy should be supervised by the doctor responsible for the patient and involves a clinical nutritionist or nutritionist in the hospital.
Before planning meals, patients will usually be examined in general health, seen a history of weight loss, chemotherapy side effects experienced, the type of drug given, to the muscle mass they have.
After that, usually the doctor and nutritionist will plan meal arrangements and determine how many nutritional needs for cancer patients.
As a general rule, cancer patients who are chemotherapy need 25-30 kcal / kgBB / day of calories and 1.2-1.5 g / kgBB / day of protein.
The daily amount of protein in cancer patients is more than that of healthy people. Because the protein is needed by the body to repair cells damaged by chemotherapy or cancer.
Meanwhile, for other nutritional needs such as fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals will be adjusted to the patient's health conditions and the type of treatment performed.
Not tasteful, how can cancer patients fulfill their nutritional needs?
Usually, doctors will find out the cause of decreased appetite in cancer patients. That way, the doctor will provide therapy or treatment to overcome the causes of decreased appetite.
In order to continue to meet nutritional needs during chemotherapy there are several things that need to be done:
- Eat 5-6 times a day in small portions, plus snacks if whenever feeling hungry.
- Don't limit the amount of food consumed.
- Take a look and note when you feel hungry and eat what makes you feel hungry.
- Eat snacks that have high calories and protein, such as dried fruit, nuts, yogurt, cheese, eggs, pudding, ormilkshake.
- Always have a favorite snack, so when you are hungry you can eat it right away.
- Increase calories and protein in food by adding butter, cheese, cream, broth, beans or peanut butter.
- Drink filling calorie drinks like milk, milkshakes, or smoothies.
- Make a schedule for eating with family or friends to make it more fun.
- Serve food in small plates, not large plates.
- If the smell or taste of the food causes nausea, eat the food in cold or room temperature.
- Add a variety of kitchen ingredients to strengthen the taste of food.
- Eat mint or lemon, if the mouth feels iron.
- Mild exercise such as walking 20 minutes 1 hour before meals can stimulate appetite.
What should be eaten before and after chemotherapy?
Almost all foods that are good for consumption by cancer patients, provided the amount is in accordance with the needs and consume a variety of foods. However, before starting chemotherapy you should consult with your doctor what should be consumed or what foods should be prepared.
What needs to be prepared before chemotherapy:
- Store supplies of food ingredients and can store them in the freezer so they don't go out too often to shop for groceries
- Can prepare half-cooked food (precooked meal) which can be stored
- Ask family members to help prepare food
After chemotherapy, side effects usually still appear, if needed you can ask the doctor about drugs to deal with side effects so as not to interfere with appetite.
Furthermore, the food recommendations provided are in the form of a balanced nutrition diet, followed by a healthy lifestyle of not smoking, maintaining a normal weight range, reducing drinking alcohol, and exercising.
Are there foods that are recommended and not recommended during chemotherapy?
Basically, all food ingredients are safe if consumed in sufficient quantities and varied. If necessary, also provide additional vitamins or minerals in the form of supplements to support your needs. But there are some foods that are not recommended, namely:
- Processed meat
- Unpasteurized milk or raw milk
- Soft-cheese
- Half-cooked food, including sashimi sushi
- Vegetables that are not washed
- Half boiled egg
- Sweet thick cream
How to set a meal schedule during the right chemotherapy?
Food intake is given in small portions but often divided into 5-6 meals. You can share it like this:
- At 7:00: Breakfast (carbohydrate source, animal protein, vegetable protein, healthy fat, vegetables)
- At 09.00: Interlude (fruit, milk supplementation of nutrients)
- At 12.00: Lunch (carbohydrate source, animal protein, vegetable protein, healthy fat, vegetables)
- At 3:00 p.m.: Interlude (fruit, milk supplementation of nutrients)
- At 6:00 p.m.: Dinner (carbohydrate source, animal protein, vegetable protein, healthy fat, vegetables)
- At 21:00: Interlude (milk supplementation of nutrients)
What if the patient does not want to eat during chemotherapy?
If the patient does not also want to eat during chemotherapy, ask the doctor to prescribe medication to improve appetite.
In certain cases, if the weight decreases and the patient still does not want to eat, a feeding hose (Nasogastric tube = NGT) can be installed between the nose to the temporary stomach or permanently through the abdominal wall.
