Chemotherapy

Eating Well and Cancer

It is very important to eat well while you are getting chemotherapy. Eating well during chemotherapy means choosing a balanced diet that contains all the nutrients the body needs. Eating well also means having a diet high enough in calories to keep your weight up and high enough in protein to rebuild tissues that cancer treatment may harm. People who eat well can cope with side effects and fight infection better. Also, their bodies can rebuild healthy tissues faster.

 

What If I Don't Feel Like Eating while on Chemotherapy?

On some days you may feel you just cannot eat. You can lose your appetite if you feel depressed or tired. Or, side effects such as nausea or mouth and throat problems may make it difficult or painful to eat. In some cases, if you cannot eat for a long period of time, your doctor may recommend that you be given nutrition intravenously until you are able to eat again. In all cases, follow the product label of your specific medication with regards to taking the product with or without food.

 

When a poor appetite is the problem, try these suggestions:

• Eat frequent, small meals or snacks whenever you want, perhaps four to six times a day. You do not have to eat three regular meals each day.
• Keep snacks within easy reach, so you can have something whenever you feel like it.
• Even if you do not want to eat solid foods, try to drink beverages during the day. Juice, soup, and other fluids like these can give you important calories and nutrients.
• Vary your diet by trying new foods and recipes.
• When possible, take a walk before meals; this may make you feel hungrier.
• Try changing your mealtime routine. For example, eat in a different location.
• Eat with friends or family members. When eating alone, listen to the radio or watch TV.
• Ask your doctor or nurse about nutrition supplements.
• Speak with your dietician about your specific nutrition needs.

 

Can I Drink Alcoholic Beverages while on Chemotherapy?

Small amounts of alcohol can help you relax and increase your appetite. On the other hand, alcohol may interfere with how some drugs work and/or worsen their side effects. For this reason, some people must drink less alcohol or avoid alcohol completely during chemotherapy. Ask your doctor if and how much beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages you can drink during treatment.

 

Can I Take Extra Vitamins and Minerals while on Chemotherapy?

You can usually get all the vitamins and minerals you need by eating a healthy diet. Talk to your doctor, nurse, registered dietician, or a pharmacist before taking any vitamin or mineral supplements. Too much of some vitamins and minerals can be just as dangerous as too little. Find out what is recommended for you.

Find out more about nutritional support in cancer at the Novartis Nutrition Web site.

 

Ask Your Doctor

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, here are some questions you may want to ask your doctor regarding your treatment.

About Chemotherapy

• Why do I need chemotherapy?
• What are the benefits of chemotherapy?
• What are the risks of chemotherapy?
• Are there any other possible treatment methods for my type of cancer?
• What is the standard care for my type of cancer?
• Are there any clinical trials for my type of cancer?

About Your Treatment

• How many treatments will I be given?
• What drug or drugs will I be taking?
• How will the drugs be given?
• Where will I get my treatment?
• How long will each treatment last?

About Chemotherapy Side Effects

• What are the possible side effects of the chemotherapy? When are side effects likely to occur?
• What side effects are more likely to be related to my type of cancer?
• Are there any side effects that I should report right away?
• What can I do to relieve the side effects?

About Contacting Medical Staff

• How do I contact a health professional after hours, and when should I call?

 

Getting Support

Chemotherapy, like cancer, can bring major changes to a person's life. While it can help cure your cancer, it can sometimes affect overall health, cause stress, disrupt day-to-day schedules, and strain personal relationships. It is no wonder, then, that some people feel tearful, anxious, angry, or depressed at some point during their chemotherapy.

These emotions can be perfectly normal, but they can also be disturbing. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with these emotional side effects, just as there are ways to cope with the physical side effects of chemotherapy.

You can draw on many sources of support. Here are some of the most important:

• Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals (HCP).If you have questions or worries about your cancer treatment, talk with members of your health care team.
• Cancer Counseling professionals. There are many kinds of counselors who can help you express, understand, and cope with your feelings. Depending on your preferences and needs, you may want to talk with a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, sex therapist, or member of the clergy.
• Friends and family members. Talking with friends or family members can help you feel a lot better. Often, they can comfort and reassure you in ways that no one else can.
• Cancer Support groups. Support groups are made up of people who are going or have gone through the same kinds of experiences as you.
• One-to-one programs. Support can also be found in one-to-one programs that put you in touch with another person of the same gender very similar to you in age, type of cancer, and so forth.

 

Acknowledgements

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the lead Federal agency for cancer research. Since Congress passed the National Cancer Act in 1971, NCI has continued to collaborate with top researchers and medical facilities across the country to conduct innovative research leading to progress in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment. These efforts have resulted in a recent decrease in the overall cancer death rate, and have helped improve and extend the lives of millions of Americans.

 

Find Out More

Your doctor or nurse is your best source of information about chemotherapy and your cancer. The following organizations can provide you with additional information.

American Cancer Society®
National Home Office
1599 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
1-800-ACS-2345
www.cancer.org

Cancer Care®
275 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10001
1-800-813-HOPE
www.cancercare.org

The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service
31 Center Drive, MSC 2580
Bethesda, MD 20892-2580
1-800-4-CANCER
Those with TTY equipment may call 1-800-332-8615
www.cancer.gov or cis.nci.nih.gov

National Comprehensive Cancer Network®
Patient Information and Referral Service
1-888-909-NCCN
www.nccn.org

These resources refer to Web sites maintained by third parties over whom Novartis Oncology has no control. As such, Novartis Oncology makes no representation as to the accuracy, completeness, adequacy, or any other aspect of the information contained on such Web sites.

 

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