Nutrition for nasopharyngeal cancer patients

The article was written by Dr. BS Ho Thu Mai - Head of the Department of Nutrition, Department of Medical Examination - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

For cancer patients, nutrition plays an important role throughout the treatment process. During cancer treatment, the body must fight cancer cells, damage to health from chemotherapy and radiation treatment, metastasis, and regenerate new cells to replace damaged ones. cancel. During radiation therapy, many of the body's normal cells are also destroyed.

Therefore, for cancer patients, nutritional requirements will be higher than normal to maintain normal body functions. If cancer patients are not provided with adequate nutrition, the body will use fat and muscle to metabolize to maintain normal functioning.

Malnutrition in cancer patients is extremely dangerous. Many studies have shown that weight loss in cancer patients will increase mortality, reduce response to chemotherapy. A balanced and appropriate diet will reduce side effects during treatment and speed up recovery.
People with cancer need to eat all 4 groups of substances: protein, fat, starch, vitamins and minerals at a balance and suitable for the disease condition. Cancer cells are sugar-affected. That is, the more sugar in the diet, the faster the cancer cells grow. The nutritional status of cancer patients should be maintained regularly throughout the course of treatment. Absolutely do not diet or eat wrong.
Patients with nasopharyngeal cancer have more difficulty eating by mouth. They often lose their appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mouth/throat swelling, dry mouth, changes in appetite, and fatigue. These symptoms are all caused by side effects and diseases. Therefore, eating right helps to reduce these signs.

Patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, if they can still swallow, should eat soft foods (porridge/soup, minced) as soon as the disease is detected to avoid damaging the tumor or surrounding organization, divide meals, eat a lot. as much as possible whenever you want to eat and eat well. It is necessary to see a nutritionist for guidance and to develop a diet suitable for disease and nutritional status. Food must ensure food safety and hygiene.
In case the tumor makes it difficult to swallow, unable to swallow, damaged by radiation therapy or the patient only eats less than 60% of nutritional needs, it is recommended to open the stomach to nourish as soon as possible. Don't wait until you are malnourished or lose weight out of control to open the stomach, then feeding becomes more difficult.
Micronutrient supplementation is necessary for cancer patients in general. The supplementation of micronutrients requires consultation with a treating physician or a dietitian.
In addition to adequate nutrition, moderate physical activity and mental well-being also help the treatment to be more effective.