Start Date
31-10-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
31-10-2023 2:00 PM
Description
Chemotherapy is a mainstay for cancer treatment. However, chemotherapy is associated with side effects that can significantly limit a person's physical and cognitive functioning, both reducing quality of life and leading to dose reductions of life-saving treatment. Dietary interventions may help manage and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy through biological and psychological mechanisms. While there is preliminary evidence supporting the importance of nutrition in cancer care, current guidelines are vague except for minimum calorie and protein intake to prevent malnutrition. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of dietary interventions on health outcomes in adults undergoing active chemotherapy treatment for cancer. We searched three databases—Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane—using a combination of MeshTerms related to nutritional interventions during chemotherapy. Among the 1295 articles identified, 36 unique studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Individualized nutrition counseling (n = 15) and fasting (n = 5) were the most prevalent dietary interventions studied in the cancer population, predominately in breast cancer patients (n = 16). The most common clinical outcomes for these trials were weight change (n = 10) and nutritional status (n = 8). The results suggest early and/or individualized nutritional counseling offers the best patient outcomes while being safe and feasible (n = 17). Warranting further exploration, plant-based diets and those rich in protein were found to lower cancer-related fatigue, one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy (n = 2). Moreover, fasting-related interventions were moderately safe and slightly less feasible among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment due to the time restrictions and side effects of the diet such as headache and nausea (n = 4). Future diet intervention studies with larger sample sizes in diverse cancer populations are necessary to deepen the understanding of nutrition in cancer care, refine clinical practices, and support the development of targeted interventions that optimize patient outcomes and well-being.
Included in
Dietary Interventions During Chemotherapy Treatment: A Systematic Review of Feasibility, Safety, and Efficacy
Chemotherapy is a mainstay for cancer treatment. However, chemotherapy is associated with side effects that can significantly limit a person's physical and cognitive functioning, both reducing quality of life and leading to dose reductions of life-saving treatment. Dietary interventions may help manage and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy through biological and psychological mechanisms. While there is preliminary evidence supporting the importance of nutrition in cancer care, current guidelines are vague except for minimum calorie and protein intake to prevent malnutrition. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of dietary interventions on health outcomes in adults undergoing active chemotherapy treatment for cancer. We searched three databases—Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane—using a combination of MeshTerms related to nutritional interventions during chemotherapy. Among the 1295 articles identified, 36 unique studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Individualized nutrition counseling (n = 15) and fasting (n = 5) were the most prevalent dietary interventions studied in the cancer population, predominately in breast cancer patients (n = 16). The most common clinical outcomes for these trials were weight change (n = 10) and nutritional status (n = 8). The results suggest early and/or individualized nutritional counseling offers the best patient outcomes while being safe and feasible (n = 17). Warranting further exploration, plant-based diets and those rich in protein were found to lower cancer-related fatigue, one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy (n = 2). Moreover, fasting-related interventions were moderately safe and slightly less feasible among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment due to the time restrictions and side effects of the diet such as headache and nausea (n = 4). Future diet intervention studies with larger sample sizes in diverse cancer populations are necessary to deepen the understanding of nutrition in cancer care, refine clinical practices, and support the development of targeted interventions that optimize patient outcomes and well-being.