Lymphoma Cancer Treatments – Nutrition Therapy

Nutrition Therapy for Lymphoma

Optimal nutrition is crucial for people fighting cancer. By negatively affecting your appetite and your ability to digest food, cancer and its treatment can deplete the body’s nutrients and cause weight loss. This may leave you in a precarious situation, with a high nutrient need and low nutrient intake. The results of malnutrition are severe. The National Cancer Institute reports that approximately one-third of all cancer deaths are related to malnutrition.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we recognize the important role nutrition plays in lymphoma cancer treatment. That's why every lymphoma patient receives a nutrition assessment and an individualized plan designed to prevent malnutrition, reduce side effects, and enhance his or her overall well being.

The CTCA Nutrition Therapy Program provides quality care for you through nutrition assessment, education, supplementation, and support. Our nutrition and metabolic support team will first assess your risk for malnutrition, and then implement an individualized nutrition plan tailored to your needs.

Nutrition Assessment

As a lymphoma cancer patient at CTCA, your dietitian will first assess your unique nutritional needs. This assessment may include:

• Laboratory analysis of the blood: This determines the status of your immune system (immunocompetence) and protein stores
• Medical history and nutrition interview: This offers the nutrition team insight into your appetite, food preferences, the status of your digestive system, and any existing or potential complications
• Computerized diet profile: This is a three-day nutrient intake analysis completed by you
• Nutrition anthropometrics: This takes body measurements to determine your percent of body fat and loss of lean tissue

After your admission to a CTCA facility for lymphoma cancer treatment, additional tests may be performed, such as the following:

• Indirect calorimetry: A simple breathing test to measure your calorie requirements
• Nitrogen balance: A measurement of protein loss to determine if your body is using protein properly

Nutrition Plan

After the assessment, you and your dietitian will work together to develop an individualized nutrition plan designed to prevent malnutrition, reduce side effects, and improve your overall well being.

Diet

Throughout your lymphoma cancer treatment, the CTCA nutrition team will encourage you to eat healthy foods that provide optimal nutritional benefit. Your dietitian will consult with you to develop an individualized meal plan. Selections may include fish, poultry, legumes, low-fat yogurt, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and cereals, and other healthy food choices. View our nutritional recipe cards.

Supplementation

Vitamin and mineral supplements can help provide nutrients that your diet may not, and offer a boost where lymphoma may have depleted nutrients in your body. The CTCA vitamin and mineral supplementation plan includes nutrients designed to help support your immune system and reduce toxic side effects of conventional lymphoma cancer treatment.

Your CTCA dietitian may recommend daily dosages of various nutrients, including the following:

• Beta carotene
• Selenium
• Vitamin C
• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Vitamin E
• Others as appropriate

Nutritional Support

If you are unable to eat or digest food, your CTCA care team may provide nutrition for you parenterally (through a vein) or enterally (through a feeding tube). The nutrition and metabolic support team—comprised of a doctor, registered dietitian, nurse, and pharmacist—will work closely with you should you require nutritional support.

Nutrition Education

Registered dietitians are available for advice and feedback throughout your lymphoma treatment at CTCA. In addition, we offer programs and classes on nutrition and cancer, along with regular cooking demonstrations. Books, articles, and other publications on cancer and nutrition are also available.

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