Nutrition and Cancer

Nutrition and Cancer

I The immune system
A. lymphocytes
1. provide resistance to infection (b cells)
2. defends against viruses, bacteria and cancer cells (t cells)

II Nutrition and Cancer
A. Malnutrition compromises immunity.
B. Immunity and infectious disease increase nutrient needs and lower food intake
1. From a nutrition standpoint the pt needs more nutrients. They may die from malnutrition before they die from the disease.
2. Example: during fever a pts burns more calories, but doesn’t feel like eating. Cancer is 1000x worse. Pt needs more calories to fight disease, but doesn’t feel like eating. They can’t keep up with their caloric needs.
C. Opportunistic infections develop when the immune system is suppressed.
1. Long term effects of malnutrition = compromised immunity
D. Physiological stress: organs shutting down b/c of whatever disease or problem it is fighting.
E. Consequences of cancer:
1. cancer cachexia (can happen b/c of therapy itself)
a. loss of appetite
b. weight loss
c. nausea
2. cancer therapy
a. radiation therapy: can cause decrease in food intake
b. chemotherapy: systemic (throughout body)
i. nausea
ii. vomiting
iii. taste blindness (all tastes like carboard)
iv. taste acuity (everything tastes overly sweet)
v. loss of appetite
c. surgery: normal healing process can cause lack of appetite
d. bone marrow transplant: immune comprimization

III HIV and AIDS
A. HIV: human immunodeficiency virus is the infection that attacks the immune system and disables the body defenses
B. AIDS: acquired immune deficiency syndrome is the infectious disease that destroys health and life
C. Contributors to Wasting and Weight Loss
1. poor appetite/insufficient nutrition intake
a. causes:
i. fatigue, lethargy and dementia
ii. depression
iii. swallowing problems
iv. poor dentition
v. oral infections (candida: thrush)
2. GI tract compications
a. nausea and vomiting
b. belching
c. reflux esophagitis
d. gastritis and heartburn
e. diarrhea and consitpation
f. hepatitis
3. psychological stress and pain (from the stigma)
4. respiratory infections
a. pneumonia
b. tuberculosis
5. cancer
a. Kaposi’s sarcoma
6. medical treatments and medication
D. Medical Nutrition Therapy
1. increased kcalories
2. increased protein and fluid
3. food and water safety (any bacteria can kill b/c no immune system to fight it off)
a. cook meats well and avoid raw seafood
b. reheat food until piping hot (>140 F)
c. wash hands for 20 seconds before and after food prep

An interesting note: Healthy looking people that have AIDS may come to the er to be treated for pneumonia. That is where they are usually first diagnosed, and then they die from the pneumonia pretty quickly. Sickly, skinny, wasted AIDS pts usually die from cancer (Kaposi’s sarcoma).