Cancer Treatments and Nutrition

Cancer and Nutrition

• Cancer and its treatments can affect nutrition, particularly when tumors involve the head, neck, esophagus, stomach, intestines, pancreas, or liver.
• Cancer treatments that can impact nutrition include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant.

Malnutrition and Cancer

• Cancer and its treatments can cause malnutrition, a condition resulting from a lack of key nutrients.
• Malnutrition can cause weakness, fatigue, and an impaired ability to fight infection or complete cancer treatment.
• Malnutrition can decrease quality of life and become life-threatening if left untreated.

Anorexia and Cachexia

• Anorexia is the loss of appetite or desire to eat and is a common symptom of cancer, often leading to malnutrition.
• Cachexia is a condition marked by weakness, weight loss, and fat and muscle loss, often seen in people with tumors affecting eating and digestion.
• Cachexia can occur even if a person is eating well, but the body is unable to store fat and muscle due to tumor growth.
• Some tumors can change the way the body uses certain nutrients, affecting protein, carbohydrate, and fat absorption.

Cachexia and Anorexia Syndrome (CAS)

• CAS is a condition characterized by weight loss and decreased lean body mass, often seen in people with advanced cancer.
• Treating high-risk patients to prevent CAS may lead to better outcomes.
• Olanzapine, a drug used to treat mental disorders, has been studied for its potential in treating CAS, but more clinical trials are needed to develop effective therapies.