Fahmida Hashem :
Cancers are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, cancer is the sixth leading cause of death. There are 13 to 15 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh, with about 2 lakh patients newly diagnosed with cancer each year. Although childhood cancers represent only 1% of the overall incidence of the disease. Cancer is predicted to be an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in Bangladesh in the next few decades. The estimated incidence of 12.7 million new cancer cases will rise to 21.4 million by 2030.
Cancer and cancer treatments can also affect the way your body tolerates certain foods and uses nutrients. Cancer survivors may have special needs. The nutrient needs of people with cancer vary from person to person. Health care team can help you identify nutrition goals. Eating well while patients are being treated for cancer might help to patient Feel better, Keep up strength and energy, Maintain weight and body’s store of nutrients, better tolerate treatment-related side effects, Lower risk of infection, Heal and recover faster. Eating well means eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients your body needs to fight cancer. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. With a healthy diet, you’ll go into treatment with reserves to help keep up your strength, prevent body tissue from breaking down, rebuild tissue, and maintain your defenses against infection. While interventions should be individualized, overall general guidelines for symptom management can be helpful for patients and caregivers.
However, although the majority of cancer patients may experience a decrease in appetite and weight loss through treatment, especially those with breast cancer receiving hormonal therapy – may have the opposite experience. One of the most significant nutritional issues that can arise during cancer treatment is malnutrition. Prepackaged foods may contain high levels of sodium and saturated fat and lower amounts of nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Intake of these food items should be minimal or avoided. Once the nausea or vomiting has subsided, consuming high-calorie, high-protein foods is essential to make up for any resulting weight loss.
After a surgery, chemo, or radiation treatments, she may need extra protein to heal tissues and to help prevent infection. Good sources of protein include fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts and nut butters, dried beans, peas and lentils, and soy foods. The doctor may recommend a daily multivitamin while patient is being treated. But a multivitamin does not replace eating enough calories and protein. Serve small meals and snacks throughout the day, rather than 3 large meals. Good snacks are peanut butter and crackers, cheese, pudding, cereal and milk.
Let patient eat whenever she feels hungry, and be sure to include high-calorie, high-protein foods. Fat is a rich source of energy, so more fat can be helpful during times that your patient is having trouble taking in enough calories. Fatigue can have many causes, including the cancer treatment, not eating enough, lack of sleep, depression, low blood counts, and some medicines. There are many things that can do to help patient cope. Be sure patient drinks plenty of fluids. Dehydration can make fatigue worse. For example, try giving her a small handful of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, or other nuts. Or try fruit and cheese.
Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world, according to WHO, which estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. Nutrition interventions should be individualized to the therapy and nutritional impact affecting the patient.
Cancer survivors should engage in regular physical activity and adopt a prudent diet. These tips may help your patient eat better. Eating as well as possible is important for patient with cancer, but don’t make food a battleground. And always talk to the health care team if you’re worried that your patient isn’t eating or drinking enough.
As part of the national cancer control program, the development of a treatment and nutritional management policy requires the establishment of national evidence-based guidelines, including follow-up policy as well as targets to measure progress.
Bangladesh will need to strengthen the infrastructure for delivery of care, facility development and decentralize the points of care for equitable distribution of the resources and target high coverage of patients through services provided mainly by home-based care.
Nutrition is an important part of cancer treatment. You should ask your dietitian to help for create a nutritious, balanced eating plan. So eating the right kinds of foods before, during, and after treatment can help your patient feel better and stay stronger.
Cancers are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, cancer is the sixth leading cause of death. There are 13 to 15 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh, with about 2 lakh patients newly diagnosed with cancer each year. Although childhood cancers represent only 1% of the overall incidence of the disease. Cancer is predicted to be an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in Bangladesh in the next few decades. The estimated incidence of 12.7 million new cancer cases will rise to 21.4 million by 2030.
Cancer and cancer treatments can also affect the way your body tolerates certain foods and uses nutrients. Cancer survivors may have special needs. The nutrient needs of people with cancer vary from person to person. Health care team can help you identify nutrition goals. Eating well while patients are being treated for cancer might help to patient Feel better, Keep up strength and energy, Maintain weight and body’s store of nutrients, better tolerate treatment-related side effects, Lower risk of infection, Heal and recover faster. Eating well means eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients your body needs to fight cancer. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals. With a healthy diet, you’ll go into treatment with reserves to help keep up your strength, prevent body tissue from breaking down, rebuild tissue, and maintain your defenses against infection. While interventions should be individualized, overall general guidelines for symptom management can be helpful for patients and caregivers.
However, although the majority of cancer patients may experience a decrease in appetite and weight loss through treatment, especially those with breast cancer receiving hormonal therapy – may have the opposite experience. One of the most significant nutritional issues that can arise during cancer treatment is malnutrition. Prepackaged foods may contain high levels of sodium and saturated fat and lower amounts of nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Intake of these food items should be minimal or avoided. Once the nausea or vomiting has subsided, consuming high-calorie, high-protein foods is essential to make up for any resulting weight loss.
After a surgery, chemo, or radiation treatments, she may need extra protein to heal tissues and to help prevent infection. Good sources of protein include fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts and nut butters, dried beans, peas and lentils, and soy foods. The doctor may recommend a daily multivitamin while patient is being treated. But a multivitamin does not replace eating enough calories and protein. Serve small meals and snacks throughout the day, rather than 3 large meals. Good snacks are peanut butter and crackers, cheese, pudding, cereal and milk.
Let patient eat whenever she feels hungry, and be sure to include high-calorie, high-protein foods. Fat is a rich source of energy, so more fat can be helpful during times that your patient is having trouble taking in enough calories. Fatigue can have many causes, including the cancer treatment, not eating enough, lack of sleep, depression, low blood counts, and some medicines. There are many things that can do to help patient cope. Be sure patient drinks plenty of fluids. Dehydration can make fatigue worse. For example, try giving her a small handful of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, or other nuts. Or try fruit and cheese.
Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world, according to WHO, which estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. Nutrition interventions should be individualized to the therapy and nutritional impact affecting the patient.
Cancer survivors should engage in regular physical activity and adopt a prudent diet. These tips may help your patient eat better. Eating as well as possible is important for patient with cancer, but don’t make food a battleground. And always talk to the health care team if you’re worried that your patient isn’t eating or drinking enough.
As part of the national cancer control program, the development of a treatment and nutritional management policy requires the establishment of national evidence-based guidelines, including follow-up policy as well as targets to measure progress.
Bangladesh will need to strengthen the infrastructure for delivery of care, facility development and decentralize the points of care for equitable distribution of the resources and target high coverage of patients through services provided mainly by home-based care.
Nutrition is an important part of cancer treatment. You should ask your dietitian to help for create a nutritious, balanced eating plan. So eating the right kinds of foods before, during, and after treatment can help your patient feel better and stay stronger.
(Fahmida Hashem is Consulting Nutritionist & CEO, Center for Nutrition & Weight Management).
