Diet - cancer treatment

A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• R
• S
• T
• V
• W
• Z

(Page 2)

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

Some cancer patients become unable to digest dairy products, which is called lactose intolerance. Symptoms include bloating, gas, and diarrhea immediately after eating lactose-containing foods.

People with lactose intolerance have trouble digesting the sugar in milk. Lactose intolerance is due to an inability to produce lactase, the enzyme that digests milk. The wall of the gastrointestinal tract produces this enzyme. You can take lactase to help you digest lactose products.

You can also buy lactose-free milk at most grocery stores. Cultured dairy products such as yogurt, cheeses, and buttermilk will contain less lactose, because the active cultures help to digest it.

---

---

You may be able to tolerate small amounts of lactose occasionally. Or, you may have to remove lactose entirely from your diet until you have fully recovered from your cancer therapy.

DUMPING SYNDROME

Surgery on the stomach may cause dumping syndrome. If you have dumping syndrome, food is "dumped" into the small intestine 10 or 15 minutes after being swallowed. Ordinarily, food is partially digested in the stomach, then released gradually into the digestive tract.

The presence of undigested food in the intestine leads to:

• Abdominal fullness
• Crampy abdominal pain
• Feeling warm, dizzy, and faint
• Nausea
• Rapid pulse and cold sweats immediately after eating

Recommendations for dumping syndrome are:

• Drink fluids 30 minutes before a meal or 30 - 60 minutes after a meal.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Lie down immediately after eating.
• Restrict refined carbohydrates and increase protein and fat in the diet.

LOSS OF APPETITE

If you are experiencing loss of appetite, adjust your diet to include any foods that appeal to you. Consider asking your doctor about appetite-stimulating drugs.

Review Date: 07/22/2010
Reviewed By: Jennifer K. Mannheim, ARNP, Medical Staff, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Seattle Children's Hospital; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).