LIVING WITH CANCER

WHY STRONG MUSCLES AND GOOD NUTRITION ARE IMPORTANT

living with cancer

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE HAS CANCER, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TOUGH EFFECTS THAT THE DISEASE AND TREATMENT CAN HAVE, PARTICULARLY ON YOUR EATING HABITS.
Symptoms can include feeling very ill and tired, experiencing a loss of taste and smell and difficulty eating as much as you usually do. These side effects can mean that you don’t feel well enough to eat and your body might not be able to get the nutrition it needs. This can lead to weak or shrinking muscles and/or malnutrition.1,2
Senior man sitting in hammock and eating watermelon.

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  WHY STRONG MUSCLES AND GOOD NUTRITION ARE IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVE CANCER


Cancer and cancer treatment can impact your taste and smell, which might make you lose interest in food. It can also make you feel quite tired and poorly. All of these symptoms can mean that you don’t get the nutrients you need, you may become malnourished, and your body might start to use up muscle to get the extra energy it needs.2,3

When this happens, it can impact your ability to receive treatment and the way that the disease progresses, including:1,4

Persistence icon

Needing to
reduce treatment doses

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Delays to treatment

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Having to stop treatment altogether 

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Not being able to do everyday activities

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Affecting your recovery

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 WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU NEED NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

If you are losing weight, or feeling more tired or weaker than usual, or you have signs that you are becoming malnourished, you should speak to your healthcare professional.

Whilst weight loss is one sign that you may be malnourished, it isn’t the only symptom, and you don’t have to be underweight to experience malnutrition.8

It is important that you look out for any symptoms of malnutrition or losing muscle and let your healthcare professional know right away if you experience any of the following:7,8

Severe weight loss
 

Clothing or jewellery feeling loose

Loss of appetite
 

Feeling tired
or weak

Low mood or depression

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 NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS WITH CANCER

Your healthcare professional (e.g. GP, nurse, dietitian, consultant) may recommend nutritional support in the form of nutritional supplements (sometimes called oral nutritional supplements or sip feeds) if they believe you have, or are at risk of developing, malnutrition in order to help provide the calories, protein and other important vitamins and minerals that your body needs.

In cases where weight loss or muscle loss is more severe, or your cancer might mean you are unable to eat or digest food, you might require nutritional support via a tube feed inserted into your stomach or via a catheter inserted into your bloodstream.2,6

Your healthcare professional will be able to support you with any nutritional treatment you are recommended.

References:

1. Aversa Z et al. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2017;9(5):369-382.
2. National Cancer Institute, 2023. Nutrition in Cancer Care. Available online: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/appetite-loss/nutrition-pdq#:~:text=Stem%20cell%20transplant.-,Cancer%20and%20cancer% 20treatments%20may%20cause%20malnutrition.,a%20lack%20of%20key%20nutrients. Last accessed October 2023.
3. Argiles JM et al. JAMDA 2016;17:789-796.
4. Pin F et al. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care 2018;12:420-426.
5. Gebremedhin T et al. Heliyon 2021;7(6):e07362.
6. McMillan 2020. Nutritional Support. Available online: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/nutritional-support Last Accessed January 2024.
7. Cancer Research UK 2023. Cachexia (wasting syndrome). Availabe online: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/diet-problems/types/cachexia Last accessed January 2024.
8. NHS 2020. Malnutrition. Available online: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/malnutrition. Last accessed January 2024. 
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