Key takeaways
- Depending on a person’s cancer and the type of treatment someone has had, there are a variety of issues with eating and digestion that can arise
- Seek support to find foods and drinks that you can tolerate and enjoy while making sure you’re getting the nutrients you need
- Work to overcome changes to swallowing, appetite and taste, by following specialised advice
Cancer and its treatment can cause changes to a person’s body, which can include issues with eating or digestion. These changes can affect appetite, swallowing, and the way food tastes. Working with a specialist dietitian or speech and language therapist can help you to work through these issues. In this article, our Perci professionals explain how they support people facing these challenges after cancer and cancer treatment.
What do the terms ‘diet’ and ‘nutrition’ mean?
Head and neck cancers, and the surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy used to treat them, can cause problems with swallowing. A person may find they choke on liquids, which puts them off wanting to drink.
- It might help to have thin liquids or soft, moist foods
- Explore working with a speech and language therapist, who can provide exercises for the muscles needed for speech and swallowing
Head and neck cancer can also affect the salivary glands. Saliva is important for our sense of taste and enjoyment of food. It also starts the process of breaking down food. Someone whose salivary glands have been impacted by cancer treatment can experience a low appetite, and are at risk of mouth infections like thrush.
- Find things to eat that don’t require chewing, such as mash, gravy, custard or soups
- Stimulate more saliva by squeezing lemon or lime onto food, as long as it doesn’t make the mouth sore
Managing loss of appetite
If someone is struggling to eat enough, either through treatment-induced fatigue or other treatment side-effects, they can work with a dietitian to enhance the diet they’re already eating. Try doing these things as well:
- Experiment with eating small amounts more often
- Eating with others or outside in the sunshine sounds simple but can help a person to enjoy their food more, and boost appetite
- Introducing more flavour to food, with seasoning (as long as salt doesn’t make your mouth sore), herbs, spices and moisture, all helps with taste and enjoyment
Managing changes to digestion
Various cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, can affect organs including the stomach, pancreas and bowel, and impact gut bacteria. This can result in symptoms similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome. Here are some suggestions to help:
- Keep a food diary of what you’re eating and your symptoms
- A dietitian can prescribe digestive enzymes to help the body break down food, so it can be more easily digested and absorbed
- Work with a dietitian to assess a potential need to supplement the diet with extra vitamins and minerals
Managing diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is a common side effect of cancer treatment and this can take time to improve.
- Drink plenty of fluids to replace the fluid lost
- Avoid foods high in fibre such as wholegrain bread and cereals, peas, nuts and beans. Keep your portions of fruit and vegetables small. Fruit juices such as apple juice can make the problem worse.
- Avoid drinking hot drinks such as tea and coffee, especially on an empty stomach.
- Choose easily digested foods such as white fish, poultry, well-cooked eggs, white bread, pasta or rice.
- You might find that avoiding spicy, fried or fatty foods helps.
- If your diarrhoea doesn’t improve or if it gets worse, particularly if you are having diarrhoea at night or find it difficult to get to the toilet in time please seek medical attention
Managing a metallic taste in the mouth
Some cancer treatment drugs can cause a bitter or metallic taste in the mouth, which can influence how you feel about food.
- Try using wooden or bamboo-made cutlery
- Drink plenty of fluids. You may find it helpful to have a glass of water with your meals and to carry a water bottle with you throughout the day.
- Eating cold or warm foods may be more palatable than hot
- If you find meat tastes different and disagreeable, try using a marinade
- Adding more seasoning, spice and herbs can help make food more interesting if you have a loss of taste, provided you don’t have a sore mouth. On the other hand, some people find that bland foods taste better.
- Keep trying different foods gradually as your taste will improve over time
- Oral hygiene is important so brush your teeth regularly and use a gentle mouthwash. Try using a children’s toothpaste if you find that you are sensitive to your usual toothpaste.
While we have ensured that every article is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare professionals or your primary healthcare team.
References:
Maggie A Kuhn et al., ‘Expert Consensus Statement: Management of Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients’, PubMed, April 2023, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36965195/
Borre, M.; Fassov, J.; Poulsen, J.L.; Christensen, P.; Laurberg, S.; Drewes, A.M.; Krogh, K. Dietary Intervention Improves Gastrointestinal Symptoms after Treatment of Cancer in the Pelvic Organs. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 4766. https://doi.org/10.3390/ jcm12144766
Gastrointestinal symptoms of pelvic radiation disease (part 2): impact on patients and carers Helen Ludlow, Gastrointestinal Nursing 2020 18:3, 44-49
Phillips ME, Hopper AD, Leeds JS, et al, Consensus for the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: UK practical guidelines, BMJ Open Gastroenterology 2021;8:e000643. doi: 10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000643