Cancer patients should avoid or limit processed foods, spicy foods, foods high in acid, and alcohol because they can increase the side effects of chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, preventing these cells from growing and invading other organs in the body. The process of cancer chemotherapy has the risk of damaging healthy cells, causing some side effects.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Sam, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that after chemotherapy, patients often have difficulty eating and drinking due to mouth pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea. Prolonged conditions can lead to malnutrition and reduced resistance.
The diet of cancer chemotherapy patients must ensure adequate and balanced supply of protein, sugar, fat, vitamins and minerals. Depending on the type of cancer, treatment stage… patients should abstain from certain foods to improve treatment effectiveness.
Processed foods Foods such as fried chicken, canned meat, candy, and sausages contain a lot of preservatives, sugar, salt, saturated fat, and cholesterol. They are also often low in essential nutrients for the body. Cancer chemotherapy patients who regularly eat processed foods can weaken their immune systems, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer recurrence.
Hot spicy food or dishes containing a lot of pepper, chili, mustard such as spicy hot pot, grilled chicken with salt and chili, spicy rice paper, squid with mustard sauce can irritate the digestive system. Patients who eat spicy foods are prone to vomiting, mouth ulcers, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, poor nutrient absorption, slowing down the recovery process.
Acidic foods and drinks Foods such as red meat, greasy foods, and coffee can cause people undergoing chemotherapy to have a weakened immune system and digestive problems.
Hard, crunchy foods Foods such as peanut candy, hard nuts, hard biscuits, and burnt rice can easily damage internal organs, creating conditions for bacteria, fungi, or viruses to grow and cause disease. During chemotherapy, the patient’s immune system is weak, and even small injuries increase the risk of infection or other dangerous complications.
Foods rich in caffeine Caffeine, such as coffee, tea, cocoa beans, and guarana, can easily stimulate the nervous system, causing anxiety or affecting sleep. Cancer chemotherapy patients who consume large amounts of caffeine are at risk of worsening chemotherapy side effects such as abdominal pain, stomach pain, diarrhea, and dry mouth.
Ale and alcoholic beverages can reduce the effectiveness of drugs and some treatments. Cancer chemotherapy patients who abuse alcohol can also gain weight, have unstable blood pressure, risk of liver and cardiovascular diseases, and worsen the side effects of chemotherapy. Gas-producing foods and drinks such as cabbage, broccoli, beans, carbonated soft drinks, coffee, and alcohol. They can cause discomfort for cancer chemotherapy patients.
Dishes friedhigh in fat such as french fries, fried sausages, fried chicken, fried spring rolls. Frying at high temperatures, the fat in the oil can be transformed into harmful compounds such as trans fatty acids and oxidants. These compounds can cause weight gain, affect the immune system, and cause cardiovascular diseases. Cancer chemotherapy patients who eat too much fried food can also easily cause digestive disorders, which can aggravate symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Doctor Hong Sam notes that cancer chemotherapy patients are prone to dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhea, and need to replenish water every day (about 40 ml/kg of body weight) by drinking filtered water, fruit juice or soup. Avoid drinking too much water during meals as it can cause fullness, reducing the intake of foods rich in protein, sugar and fat.
The nutritional regimen of cancer chemotherapy patients also depends on their specific health status, underlying diseases, and constitution. Cancer chemotherapy patients need special nutritional care, and should discuss directly with an oncologist or go to a nutritionist for advice on a reasonable and nutritious diet.