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MYTHS
Can
diet influence the progression of lymphomas?
Unfortunately, there is
no evidence from animal or human studies that dietary changes are likely
to change the growth and survival of lymphoma cells -- which are driven
to grow and survive because of mutations in the DNA of the
abnormal cells.
Can
diet influence the low blood counts that are caused by lymphomas ?
A healthful diet will provide the building blocks for the immune system
to "build" new blood cells - but only if the underlying cause of the low
counts is address by therapy.
Can diet affect other cancers?
Yes, for some cancers, diet appears to have some influence on the growth rate, such as fats on prostate cancer cells, but this is specific to the type of cancer cell.
See for example:
Webmd.com,
which dispels the myth that conventional medicine will not provide
such information when there is evidence to support it.
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In the News
The general dietary guidelines
on this page do not take into account
individual needs and sensitivities. Please consult with a qualified
medical professional.
A healthful diet and being physically active can
help the cancer patient achieve a better quality of life and combat the
side effects of treatment. Many cancer patients feel that
taking steps to optimize their survival chances is empowering, and
provides a valuable sense of control.
Your dietary needs can change
depending on your health status and other factors. For example, you may need a
special type of diet to help build up strength and
recover from treatment; or, you may have trouble eating
while receiving chemotherapy. It's
essential that your diet contains a balance of nutrients that promotes the health and
and provides the nutrients needed to maintain or restore good health. Ideally,
you should consult a nutritional expert who has the information about
your specific health, diagnosis, and treatment at hand.
Evidence suggests that life style and diet can influence
the risk
of developing some types of cancers. Therefore, it seems reasonable for the cancer
patient, who is particularly susceptible to developing secondary cancers to
eat well and remain active - to promote general health.
It's important to distinguish between diet as a risk factor for lymphomas, versus diet as a therapeutic factor.
While some dietary factors are associated with a modest increased risk of lymphoma (such as red meats),
restricting red meats will not influence the growth rate of an existing
lymphoma.
Similarly, if you stop smoking, a lung cancer that is caused by smoking
cancer is not expected to go away.
External factors more likely to influence the growth of lymphoma cells would be antigens (something that doesn't
belong in your body), such as virus, bacteria, auto-immunity ... a chronic antigen
stimulus, that would be impossible with current technologies to identify, and could be unique to each person.
The growth rate of lymphomas is also determined by the genetic defects within the abnormal cells, which can vary
even within the same diagnostic subtype .. which might account for why one
indolent lymphoma never needs treatment, and another needs frequent therapy.
Anyhow, if in future a dietary practice is found to limit the growth of lymphomas it will be big news ... something everyone will be made aware of.
General Life Style and Diet Guidelines
Source: Nutrition and physical activity
guidelines for cancer survivors
Excerpt from report:
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Survivors should ask their health care
provider for a referral to see an RD, preferably an RD who is
also a CSO, if they experience nutrition-related challenges. |
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Consuming enough calories to
prevent additional weight loss for survivors at risk of
unintentional weight loss, such as those who are already
malnourished or those who receive anticancer treatments affecting
the gastrointestinal tract |
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Nutritional assessment for
survivors should begin as soon after diagnosis as possible and
should take into consideration treatment goals (curative, control,
or palliation) while focusing on
current nutritional status and
anticipated nutrition-related symptoms |
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During active cancer treatment, the
overall goals of nutritional care for survivors should be to
prevent or resolve nutrient deficiencies,
achieve or maintain a healthy weight,
preserve lean body mass,
minimize nutrition-related side effects, and
maximize quality of life. |
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For survivors experiencing anorexia
(low body weight) or early satiety, and who are at risk of becoming
underweight,
consuming smaller, more frequent meals with minimal liquids consumed
during meals can help to increase food intake.
Liquids can and should be consumed in between meals to avoid
dehydration. |
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For survivors who cannot meet their
nutritional needs through foods alone, fortified, commercially
prepared or homemade nutrient-dense beverages or foods can improve
the intake of energy and nutrients. |
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For survivors who are unable to meet
their nutritional needs through above measures and who are at
risk of becoming malnourished, other means of nutritional support
may be needed, such as
pharmacotherapy using appetite stimulants,
enteral nutrition via tube feeding, or
intravenous parenteral nutrition. |
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With compelling evidence against
the use of select supplements in certain oncology
populations, health care professionals and survivors need to proceed
with caution.25
If interested in supplementation, individuals should
- first assess whether they are nutrient deficient,
- avoid ingesting supplements that exceed more than 100% of the
Daily Value, and
- consider limiting dietary supplement use to therapeutic
interventions for chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and
macular degeneration, for which scientific evidence supports the
likelihood of benefits and low risk of harm. |
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An increasing number of studies have
examined the therapeutic value of exercise during primary
cancer treatment.26,
27
Existing evidence strongly suggests that exercise is not only safe
and feasible during cancer treatment, but that it can also improve
physical functioning, fatigue, and multiple aspects of quality of
life |
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Persons receiving chemotherapy and/or
radiation therapy who are already on an exercise program
may need to exercise at a lower intensity and/or for a shorter
duration during their treatment, but the principal goal should be to
maintain activity as much as possible.
Some clinicians advise certain survivors to wait to determine their
extent of side effects with chemotherapy before beginning an
exercise program.
For those who were sedentary before diagnosis,
low-intensity activities such as stretching and brief, slow walks
should be adopted and slowly advanced.
For older individuals and those with bone metastases or
osteoporosis, or significant impairments such as arthritis or
peripheral neuropathy, careful attention should be given to
balance and safety to reduce the risk of falls and injuries. |
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Adequate protein intake is
essential during all stages of cancer treatment, recovery, long-term
survival, and living with advanced disease.
The best choices to meet protein needs are foods that are also low
in saturated fat (eg, fish, lean meat, skinless poultry, eggs,
nonfat and low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes). |
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High sugar intake has not
been shown to increase the risk or progression of cancer.
However, sugars (including honey, raw sugar, brown sugar,
high-fructose corn syrup, and molasses) and beverages that are major
sources of these sugars (such as soft drinks and many fruit-flavored
drinks) add substantial amounts of calories to the diet and thus can
promote weight gain.
In addition, most foods that are high in added sugar do not
contribute many nutrients to the diet and often replace more
nutritious food choices. Therefore, limiting the consumption of
products with added sugar is recommended. |
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Evidence from both observational studies
and clinical trials suggests that dietary supplements are
not likely to improve prognosis or overall survival after the
diagnosis of cancer, and may actually increase mortality. |
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Before supplements are prescribed
or taken, all attempts should be made to obtain needed nutrients
through dietary sources
Supplements should be considered only if a nutrient deficiency is
either biochemically (eg, low plasma vitamin D levels, B12
deficiency) or clinically (eg, low bone density) demonstrated. |
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Supplements should be considered
if nutrient intakes fall persistently below two-thirds of the
recommended intake levels.
Such a determination should be made by a registered dietitian, who
is most qualified to assess the nutrient adequacy of the diet,
especially in view of emerging data suggesting that higher nutrient
intakes, especially through sources other than foods, may be harmful
rather than helpful. |
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Food safety is of special concern
for cancer survivors, especially during episodes of
treatment-related immune-suppression that can occur with certain
cancer treatment regimens.
Survivors can become susceptible to developing infections due to
treatment-induced leukopenia and neutropenia (low blood counts).
During any immunosuppressive cancer treatment, survivors should take
extra precautions to prevent infection, and they should be
particularly careful to avoid eating foods that may contain unsafe
levels of pathogenic microorganisms.
• Wash hands with soap and water thoroughly before eating.
• Keep all aspects of food preparation clean, including washing
hands before food preparation and washing fruits and vegetables
thoroughly.
• Use special care in handling raw meats, fish, poultry, and eggs.
• Thoroughly clean all utensils, countertops, cutting boards, and
sponges that have contact with raw meat; keep raw meats and
ready-to-eat foods separate.
• Cook to proper temperatures; meats, poultry, and seafood should be
thoroughly cooked and beverages (milk and juices) should be
pasteurized. Use a food thermometer to check internal temperatures
of meats before serving.
• Store foods promptly at low temperatures (below 40°F) to minimize
bacterial growth.
• When eating in restaurants, avoid foods that may have potential
bacterial contamination such as items from salad bars; sushi; or raw
or undercooked meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, and eggs.
• Avoid raw honey, milk, and unpasteurized fruit juice, and choose
pasteurized versions instead.
• If there is any question or concern about water purity (eg, well
water), it can be checked for bacterial content by contacting your
local public health department.
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Questions and issues for your doctor or nutritionist:
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How can I prepare food so that it's safe to eat when
I'm immune compromised? |
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How can I know if I am digesting my foods properly?
(bloating, diarrhea, constipation, leaky gut, etc.) |
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What types of exercise can I safely do, and how
often? |
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Is it okay to do strenuous exercise routines? |
Return to top
Resources
DURING TREATMENT:
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Highly recommended:
Nutrition for the Person With Cancer During Treatment
Cancer.org
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Diet for Immune suppressed, overview Lymphomation.org
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PREVENTION and PROMOTING GOOD HEALTH:
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AACR 2005 - Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research
PDF
Research articles on natural compounds that may prevent cancer
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Defending Against Disease With an Anti-Inflammation Lifestyle
brighamandwomens.org
Pdf |
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Food Additives PAL
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Food Allergies information
WebMD
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Food Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective
aicr.org
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Natural sources of fats are essential to good health as described in this excellent presentation to the FDA on food groups submitted by the Weston A. Price Foundation
FDA.gov
PDF |
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FIGHTING CANCER AND TREATMENT EFFECTS:
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"Eating Well Through Cancer"
by Holly Clegg
Amazon.com
Focuses on cancer and nutrition
with a mainstream approach.
Recipes were selected to ease symptoms while undergoing treatment
and to maintain a healthier lifestyle. (We have no affiliations with
the authors.) |
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Early Nutritional Intervention Recommended for
Cancer Patients
mdanderson.org
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Weight Loss & Cachexia
PAL
A symptom of
lymphoma progression is weight loss that cannot be explained by
diet. Cachexia, the
loss of lean body mass, is most typically associated with
advanced progression of the disease.
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DIET AS TREATMENT?
Presently, there is no credible published
evidence that diet can influence the clinical course of lymphoma.
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Complementary and alternative (CAM) dietary therapies for cancer.
Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2008 Feb;50(2 Suppl):494-7; discussion 498. Review.
PMID:18064662
Related
articles
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Gerson Diet Therapy?
Report by Concerted Action for
Complementary and
Alternative Medicine Assessment in the Cancer Field
(CAM-Cancer)
Project funded under the European Commission 5th Framework Program
“Quality of Life”.
cancer.org/gerson.pdf (fixed)
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Macrobiotic diet? and
cachexia
medicine.wustl.edu
A symptom of lymphoma progression is
weight loss that cannot be explained by diet. Cachexia,
the loss of lean body mass, is
most typically associated with advanced progression of the
disease. |
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Sugar restriction? PAL
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