Spinal Cancer Nutrition Therapy

Nutrition Therapy for Spinal Cancer 

Some spinal cancer patients experience symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and fatigue, which can make it difficult to eat. Malnourishment can interfere with your ability to heal by interrupting or delaying treatment.

The nutrition team at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), including registered dietitians, will help you stay strong and nourished so you can tolerate spinal cancer treatment and maintain your quality of life.

Your Individualized Nutrition Plan

When you arrive at CTCA, we’ll evaluate your nutrition status based on factors like weight changes, food intake, and nutrition impact symptoms. Based on this assessment, your dietitian will collaborate with your oncologists and the other members of your care team to provide an individualized nutrition therapy plan.

Your plan will include nutrition interventions to help rebuild body tissue, decrease the risk of infection, prevent malnutrition, and increase your energy and strength.

Managing Side Effects with Nutrition Therapy

Throughout your spinal cancer treatment, your care team will work with you to combat various side effects using nutrition therapy:

• Nausea: We may recommend a low-fat, bland diet of cold foods, ginger products, peppermint, or sea bands to combat nausea.
• Diarrhea: We may suggest a BRAT diet of bananas, white rice, applesauce, and toast to help minimize irritation to the digestive tract, and water soluble fiber supplements (e.g., pectin) to help form firmer stool.
• Constipation: To relieve constipation, we may recommend you increase your fiber intake and stay hydrated, including drinking warm liquids (e.g., prune juice).
• Fatigue: We may suggest you try small, frequent meals of protein-rich foods, and decrease your sugar intake, to give you more energy. We may also recommend certain iron and folic acid supplements to boost red blood cell count.

Once your spinal cancer therapy is complete, we’ll educate you about healthy eating habits so you can continue to make good choices once you return home.

Next Topic: Oncology Rehabilitation for Spinal Cancer