Lung Cancer Nutrition Myths Debunked — What Patients Really Need

Lung cancer ranks first and second among the top ten causes of cancer death in China, and has a trend of increasing year by year. In terms of age group, most of them are over 50 years old. When the diagnosis is established, it has mostly occurred for a period of time, and may even have metastasized to other sites and is difficult to cure.

During consultations, many family members of patients often worry that their nutrition is too good and will promote lung cancer growth. Therefore, patients are not dared to be given sufficient nutrition. At the same time, there are some folk sayings that many foods will “fa”, so foods such as chicken, duck, fish, etc. cannot be eaten. There are even people who make patients hungry and want to starve lung cancer cells “to death”. Patients and family members lived tremblingly, fearing that “eating the wrong food” would cause lung cancer to grow faster and treatment to fail. Actually, none of the above claims are based on any basis.

We have already understood the changes in the nutritional status of the human body in the early stages of lung cancer, as well as the effects of early nutritional support on the immune function of human cells. Relevant studies point out that nutritional and immune dysfunction, particularly cellular immune dysfunction, is present early in lung cancer patients. The normal diet is not effective in improving the nutritional status of the patient, but early nutritional support can correct their malnutrition status and, at the same time, significantly improve the immune function of the individual, especially cellular immune function, which can shorten the recovery time.

Malnutrition is extremely detrimental to the patient’s treatment and recovery, such as a patient’s slow recovery after surgery, poor tolerance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and leads to immunocompromised conditions, causing infections and even worsening organ failure. Therefore lung cancer patients must pay attention to nutrition. Food is the material basis for the recovery of cancer patients. Paying attention to the diet of cancer patients and providing reasonable and sufficient nutrition can enhance the body’s resistance, improve the patient’s tolerance to treatment, successfully complete the treatment plan, and promote recovery.

Patients with lung cancer should be free to eat when they do not have difficulty swallowing, and should eat more protein and carbohydrate-rich foods, such as lean meat, fish, soy products, and various cereals, without generally limiting their food intake without affecting treatment. Food is mainly light, soft and easy to digest and absorb, so when choosing food and tonic, don’t rush for success. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits whenever you want. Eat no or less irritating foods, including fried foods. Eat some garlic often, garlic contains anti-cancer substances; do not smoke and do not drink alcohol.

Lung cancer patients consume far more physical energy than ordinary people. Therefore, in addition to three meals a day, they also need to use a “special formula” diet to supplement nutrition. Among them, special nutrition products for cancer patients are an important choice. This type of special formula contains various nutrients necessary for the human body, which can fully meet the needs of cancer patients. Currently, there are many categories on the market, which can be ingested orally or by tube irrigation. It should be noted that you should drink it slowly when you take it orally. If you drink it too fast, high-permeability liquids can easily cause diarrhea and vomiting; at the same time, control the appropriate temperature to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort caused by too cold. In addition, the diet must follow the principles of low fat and low salt, and be rich in vitamins and minerals, while ensuring an adequate supply of calories to promote human tissue reconstruction, which is very beneficial for the treatment and rehabilitation of lung cancer patients.

Among the many nutritional supplements specific for tumors, the expression of the powdered whey protein isolated by Biyuanxing is particularly prominent. As a special nutritional product for tumor surgery, its protein content is as high as 90% or more, and its purity is extremely high, so it can be absorbed efficiently even if the patient has poor gastrointestinal function. It is even more worth mentioning that it is rich in 15 essential nutrients. Just take 2 bags a day to supplement 18 grams of high-quality protein, effectively make up for the lack of daily dietary intake, help lung cancer patients fully meet their protein and other nutritional needs, and provide strong support for physical recovery.

There is often a 1～2 week rest after a chemotherapy cycle. The purpose is to restore or rebuild the immune function of the patient’s body. When the bone marrow function returns to normal, some chemotherapy drugs suppress the bone marrow later and recover slowly. Doctors also During this period, patients will be advised to use some drugs or nutritional drugs that can improve immune function. According to the needs of the condition, the patient has enough “capital = physical strength” to receive subsequent treatment.

Because patients with lung cancer receive different treatments, they should also be given an appropriate diet based on specific treatments. For example, “Patients receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy often suffer from symptoms such as abnormal taste and anorexia, and patients often eat anything that becomes bitter or has an incorrect taste “Taiwanese)”. The treatment method is: eat more high-protein, high-nutrient foods, fresh fruits, vegetables, etc.; add condiments to food; make more foods with good color, aroma, taste, and shape to arouse appetite; before meals Drink a small cup of acidic drinks (such as sour plums) to produce an appetizing effect and supplement the patient with an appropriate amount of zinc and vitamin BC complex It can also improve taste and increase appetite. Radiation therapy patients have reduced saliva, dry and painful throat, and difficulty swallowing, and their diet should be more hydrated, mainly cooler. So-called anti-cancer foods, in general, have minimal anti-cancer effects and do not need to be eaten specifically.

In short, things you should pay attention to in your diet include: take a break before eating to reduce fatigue; clean your mouth first; eat the food you like and pay attention to seasoning, which can increase gastric juice secretion, promote appetite, and improve the absorption and utilization of food; eat in small amounts Eat with multiple meals to promote digestion; choose high-nutrient foods and avoid gas-producing foods (such as sweet potatoes); try to stay away from the kitchen Avoid nausea and vomiting caused by the smell of cooking. The diet of lung cancer patients should not only pay attention to its content, the quality of the dining environment can also affect the appetite of the patient, and a pleasant dining environment should be created for the patient. If it is not possible to eat, a nasogastric tube can be inserted to assist in the feeding if necessary to supplement nutrition and improve the nutritional status.

Various treatments for lung cancer may lead to malnutrition, so adequate nutrition should be given as soon as possible. To arrange the diet of lung cancer patients, their nutritional status should be assessed first, and secondly, the disease stage and treatment measures of the patient should be targeted. The quality and quantity of nutrients are determined to provide the most appropriate dietary form and supply route.

Disclaimer: All photos used in this blog are generated by artificial intelligence (AI). These images are original creations produced by AI technology and do not depict real people, places, or events. They are provided for illustrative purposes only and cannot be claimed or used as real photographs.