Cancer Survivors Urgently Need Better Nutritional Support

Cancer Survivors Urgently Need Better Nutritional Support

A new study from the University of Sheffield reveals an urgent need to improve nutritional support in patients with colorectal cancer.

More than two-thirds (69%) of patients with colorectal cancer who participated in the national survey did not receive nutritional advice or support from the medical team, including patients with stoma, after diagnosis, treatment, and treatment.

Most of the people surveyed reported facing many nutritional problems, including: I don’t know what to eat, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or changes in taste or smell.

Many cancer survivors say they have sought nutritional advice online from a variety of sources, primarily the websites of charities such as the UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

A study published today in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (Monday, September 21, 2020) also highlighted the desire of cancer patients for personalized advice related to specific nutritional issues.

Dr. Bernardkov, lead author of research at the University of Sheffield, said: “Patients with cancer of the bowel, colon, and rectum do not feel they receive the nutritional support and advice they need.

It is essential that patients feel supported to overcome certain nutritional problems and the advice is customized for them and their lifestyle.

Dr. Bernard Coff, University of Sheffield

“Many colorectal cancer survivors need to adapt to new lifestyles after treatment, especially those wearing stoma bags. Information that patients may have access to unidentified or unreliable sources. It is very important to receive nutritional guidance from the medical team both during and after treatment without having to search online.

“It is essential that patients feel supported to overcome certain nutritional problems, and advice is customized for them and their lifestyle. For example, young patients with stoma. Will have very different questions and needs for support for older patients being treated for advanced bowel cancer. “

In the UK, according to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, partial resection or temporary or permanent stoma after treatment for colorectal cancer.

In addition, nutritional advice and education can help improve overall.

Survival, quality of life and nutrition of colorectal cancer survivors during and after treatment.

Pete Wheatstone from Selby was diagnosed with stage 3 intestinal cancer at the age of 58. “As a patient with intestinal cancer, the patient feedback in this study certainly sympathized with me,” he said.

“General advice, such as” eating whatever you like, “during chemotherapy, is intended but can be more helpful. Ideally, you should provide personalized advice for all three stages of pretreatment, treatment, and posttreatment.

“Marking cancer charities such as Bowel Cancer UK and Macmillan Cancer Support is essential, but it needs to be more effective than simply providing a list of sources or multiple booklets at the time of diagnosis. I need some advice.

“We also need to strengthen collaboration not only with dietitians, but also with general practitioners who are more likely to see patients after treatment.”

Dr. Lisa Wilde, Director of Research and Foreign Affairs, Intestinal Cancer UK, said: Methods can make a big difference in their lives.

“Approximately 268,000 people in the UK live with gut cancer and it is very important to be advised on the best way to have a healthy and balanced diet tailored to their individual needs.

“The intestinal cancer UK website has a lot of information on various foods and diets for intestinal cancer patients, and we are pleased that patients are using it for nutritional advice, but adjustments. It should be used as a starting point for conversations with the clinical team, not as a substitute for the information package provided. “

Currently, researchers want to work with healthcare professionals to help them better support their patients in overcoming nutritional problems. The Sheffield team has begun co-developing an app to help provide individually approved nutritional advice to patients without the need for additional resources and without reducing pressure on healthcare professionals.

Intestinal cancer UK