Answer:

Unintended weight loss can be a sign of cancer. This occurs because the body releases cytokines, which increase muscle and fat breakdown, reduce protein synthesis, elevate basal metabolism, decrease appetite, and lead to muscle wasting.

When diagnosed with cancer, anxiety often causes patients to lose their appetite or find food unappealing. Side effects of some treatments, such as mouth sores, dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, altered taste, or pain, can also lead to a lack of appetite and poor food intake. Consequently, the body does not receive sufficient energy, protein, and other essential nutrients. It is then forced to use its own reserves, like muscle and fat, to function, resulting in weight loss and debilitation.

Doctor Tuong Van advises a patient. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

The treatment process can also affect the body's ability to absorb and utilize nutrients, causing patients to experience unintended weight loss. Nutritional imbalance makes recovery difficult. Fasting and weight loss do not starve the tumor or cause it to shrink. Instead, this misconception leads to a deficiency of nutrients, reducing the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

Your mother should boost her nutrition during rest periods between chemotherapy cycles to replenish nutrients after treatments. Dividing meals into several smaller portions can aid digestion. Patients need to supplement with adequate nutrients for optimal body function and maximum treatment response, especially protein (meat, fish, eggs, milk), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (seed oils, fish oils), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals), and fiber (fruits and vegetables).

Choose easy-to-eat foods such as milk, smoothies, thick porridge, and lean meat. Increase the caloric content of food by adding butter, oil, protein powder, milk powder, cream, or peanut butter to enhance nutrition. Additionally, regular physical activity helps increase appetite and supports more efficient digestive system function.

Doctor Nguyen Tuong Van

Department of Oncology, Oncology Center

Tam Anh General Hospital, TP HCM