The Oncology Treatment Diet

I'm not sure where I discovered this at, since I can't raise it quickly in a search now, but it has helped me during my treatment. The information it holds is all "stuff" that I knew already, but when you're ill and have no appetite at all, it's doubly difficult to think what might tempt you to eat, and that's of real concern for all cancer patients and patients of other illnesses as well as those recovering from weight loss from these or other problems can find benefit here.

Having this information readily available will hopefully help you come up with something that "tickles your palette" so you can maintain a good weight, something very important in your battle against disease.

I have also fought with my natural preferences on this since, while I don't dislike most meats, I've never been a big meat eater. To keep up with the protein I needed, I researched to find other sources of protein I could use. I also needed a much higher amount of albumin at one point to combat deadly rashes caused by one treatment, and it comes from eggs. I like eggs, and eat them pretty often, but they wanted me to eat more, so I had to come up with ways to increase my egg intake. Also, when you have a compromised immune system, especially, you should NEVER put raw eggs in something that isn't going to be cooked. Raw eggs can give you salmonella, and since virtually anyone getting cancer treatment has a compromised immune system, they must be avoided.

Marcie's Power Drink:
I did (and do) supplement with a drink concocted of the following: 8 oz. "Ensure," a liquid protein supplement (like a malt), two scoops ice cream, 1 tsp. vanilla, and a small bowl of fresh or frozen fruit such as strawberries, mangoes, blueberries, raspberries, etc. This makes a thick, rich drink after blending that is very good tasting and nutritious.

Radiation and other Treatment restrictions and Treats:
Since I have lung cancer, my 37 radiation treatments had a very adverse effect on my esophagus, as well as my bronchial tubes. In addition, one of the other treatments I had that was in pill form also affected your ability to eat most solid foods, or hot (meaning both heated, and/or spicy) foods, and a procedure called a Mediastinoscopy also adversely affected my throat, and the entire area (on the outside of my skin) where that treatment took place is still very sensitive to the touch, 3 years later. Here is what I use(d) to combat these problems.

First, anything cold, smooth and that didn't have to be chewed felt absolutely wonderful sliding down my throat.
So, cold malts, shakes, etc., are very good, but I found that the relief of eating a popsicle, or Jell-O, was wonderful therapy, and took little to no time to prepare. I still love to eat them, and do so often. Popsicles are a staple in my freezer now.
I often make Jell-O in my small flat Pyrex dish, cut it into small cubes, and mix with whipping cream for a "parfait," which is very good.
I make soups with few ingredients; broth, some sweet onion and celery that well cooked so it's very tender, small pasta, beans and/or potatoes I mash partly, is very easy to eat if I cool it quite a bit before eating it, so it's almost lukewarm.
Mashed potatoes with garlic paste and sour cream is wonderful...
Potato soup (Yum!), that I use the immersible blender on to make the potatoes and onions small enough to easily swallow, is great - again, cool until almost lukewarm.
You can do the same with Cream of Broccoli soup (also Yum!).
Bean Dip that you "sop up" with soft, tangy sourdough bread pieces (without crust) is easy to eat, requiring minimal chewing, and provides good protein.
Beans and Ham that you've used the immersible blender on is also good and nutritious, especially if you get some small ham pieces in it - again, cool it some.
Rich and nutritious homemade stew can also be done this way, especially if you set some aside for you and simmer longer so everything is very tender, use the immersible again, and cool it some.
I think you should have the idea by now... there are a number of things, especially soups, etc., that you can eat even with restrictions, if you use your imagination. It's much more difficult to put weight back on than to make sure you don't lose it, and you'll be in much better condition to fight your disease - that's the bottom line!

Table 4. Quick & Easy Snacks:

· Applesauce

· Bread, muffins, and crackers

· Buttered popcorn

· Cakes and cookies made with whole grains, fruits, nuts, wheat germ, or granola

· Cereal

· Cheese, hard or semisoft

· Cheesecake

· Chocolate milk

· Crackers

· Cream soups

· Dips made with cheese, beans, or sour cream

· Fruit (fresh, canned, dried)

· Gelatin salads and desserts

· Granola

· Hard-boiled and deviled eggs

· Ice cream frozen yogurt, popsicles

· Juices

· Milkshakes, "instant breakfast" drinks

· Nuts

· Peanut butter

· Pita bread and hummus

· Pizza

· Puddings and custards

· Sandwiches

· Vegetables (raw or cooked)

· Whole or 2% milk

· Yogurt

Table 5. How to Increase Calories
Butter and Margarine

· Add to soups, mashed and baked potatoes, hot cereals, grits, rice, noodles, and cooked vegetables.

· Stir into cream soups, sauces, and gravies.

· Combine with herbs and seasonings, and spread on cooked meats, hamburgers, and fish and egg dishes.

· Use melted butter or margarine as a dip for seafoods and raw vegetables, such as shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster.

Whipped Cream

· Use sweetened on hot chocolate, desserts, gelatin, puddings, fruits, pancakes, and waffles.

· Fold unsweetened into mashed potatoes or vegetable purees.

Milk and Cream

· Use in cream soups, sauces, egg dishes, batters, puddings, and custards.

· Put on hot or cold cereal.

· Mix with noodles, pasta, rice, and mashed potatoes.

· Pour on chicken and fish while baking.

· Use as a binder in hamburgers, meatloaf, and croquettes.

· Use whole milk instead of low-fat.

· Use cream instead of milk in recipes.

· Make hot chocolate with cream and add marshmallows.

Cheese

· Melt on top of casseroles, potatoes, and vegetables.

· Add to omelets.

· Add to sandwiches.

Cream Cheese

· Spread on breads, muffins, fruit slices, and crackers.

· Add to vegetables.

· Roll into balls and coat with chopped nuts, wheat germ, or granola.

Sour Cream

· Add to cream soups, baked potatoes, macaroni and cheese, vegetables, sauces, salad dressings, stews, baked meat, and fish.

· Use as a topping for cakes, fruit, gelatin desserts, breads, and muffins.

· Use as a dip for fresh fruits and vegetables.

· For a good dessert, scoop it on fresh fruit, add brown sugar, and refrigerate until cold before eating.

Salad Dressings and Mayonnaise

· Use with sandwiches.

· Combine with meat, fish, and egg or vegetable salads.

· Use as a binder in croquettes.

· Use in sauces and gelatin dishes.

Honey, Jam, and Sugar

· Add to bread, cereal, milk drinks, and fruit and yogurt desserts.

· Use as a glaze for meats, such as chicken.

Granola

· Use in cookie, muffin, and bread batters.

· Sprinkle on vegetables, yogurt, ice cream, pudding, custard, and fruit.

· Layer with fruits and bake.

· Mix with dry fruits and nuts for a snack.

· Substitute for bread or rice in pudding recipes.

Dried Fruits (raisins, prunes, apricots, dates, figs)

· Try cooking dried fruits; serve for breakfast or as a dessert or snack.

· Add to muffins, cookies, breads, cakes, rice and grain dishes, cereals, puddings, and stuffing.

· Bake in pies and turnovers.

· Combine with cooked vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, and acorn and butternut squash.

· Combine with nuts or granola for snacks.

Eggs

· Add chopped, hard-cooked eggs to salads and dressings, vegetables, casseroles, and creamed meats.

· Make a rich custard with eggs, milk, and sugar.

· Add extra hard-cooked yolks to deviled-egg filling and sandwich spread.

· Beat eggs into mashed potatoes, vegetable purees, and sauces. (Be sure to keep cooking these dishes after adding the eggs because raw eggs may contain harmful bacteria.)

· Add extra eggs or egg whites to custards, puddings, quiches, scrambled eggs, omelets, and to pancake and French toast batter before cooking.

Food Preparation

· Bread meat and vegetables.

· If tolerated, sauté and fry foods when possible, because these methods add more calories than do baking or broiling.

· Add sauces or gravies.

Table 6. How to Increase Protein

Hard or Semisoft Cheese

· Melt on sandwiches, bread, muffins, tortillas, hamburgers, hot dogs, other meats/fish, vegetables, eggs, desserts, stewed fruit, or pies.

· Grate and add to soups, sauces, casseroles, vegetable dishes, mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or meatloaf.

Cottage Cheese/Ricotta Cheese

· Mix with or use to stuff fruits and vegetables.

· Add to casseroles, spaghetti, noodles, and egg dishes, such as omelets, scrambled eggs, and soufflés.

· Use in gelatin, pudding-type desserts, cheesecake, and pancake batter.

· Use to stuff crepes and pasta shells or manicotti.

Milk

· Use milk instead of water in beverages and in cooking when possible.

· Use in preparing hot cereal, soups, cocoa, and pudding.

· Add cream sauces to vegetables and other dishes.

Ice Cream, Yogurt, and Frozen Yogurt

· Add to carbonated beverages, such as ginger ale or cola.

· Add to milk drinks, such as milkshakes.

· Add to cereal, fruit, gelatin desserts, and pies; blend or whip with soft or cooked fruits.

· Sandwich ice cream or frozen yogurt between cake slices, cookies, or graham crackers.

· Make breakfast drinks with fruit and bananas.

Eggs

· Add chopped, hard-cooked eggs to salads and dressings, vegetables, casseroles, and creamed meats.

· Add extra eggs or egg whites to quiches and to pancake and French toast batter.

· Add extra egg whites to scrambled eggs and omelets.

· Make a rich custard with eggs, high-protein milk, and sugar.

· Add extra hard-cooked yolks to deviled-egg filling and sandwich spreads.

· Avoid raw eggs, which may contain harmful bacteria, because your treatment may make you susceptible to infection. Make sure all eggs you eat are well cooked or baked; avoid eggs that are undercooked.

Nuts, Seeds, and Wheat Germ

· Add to casseroles, breads, muffins, pancakes, cookies, and waffles.

· Sprinkle on fruit, cereal, ice cream, yogurt, vegetables, salads, and toast as a crunchy topping; use in place of bread crumbs.

· Blend with parsley or spinach, herbs, and cream for a noodle, pasta, or vegetable sauce.

· Roll banana in chopped nuts.

Peanut Butter

· Spread on sandwiches, toast, muffins, crackers, waffles, pancakes, and fruit slices.

· Use as a dip for raw vegetables, such as carrots, cauliflower, and celery.

· Blend with milk drinks and beverages.

· Swirl through soft ice cream and yogurt.

Meat and Fish

· Add chopped, cooked meat or fish to vegetables, salads, casseroles, soups, sauces, and biscuit dough.

· Use in omelets, soufflés, quiches, sandwich fillings, and chicken and turkey stuffing.

· Wrap in pie crust or biscuit dough as turnovers.

· Add to stuffed baked potatoes.

Beans/Legumes

· Cook and use peas, legumes, beans, and tofu in soups or add to casseroles, pastas, and grain dishes that also contain cheese or meat. Mash cooked beans with cheese and milk.

For more information and some recipes, go here: Oncology Treatment Diet and Recipes

Keeping Track of Side Effects

Here's a form to help you keep track of eating-related side effects you may experience while you are undergoing cancer treatment. Feel free to copy this form and keep your own record. You can also share it with the health professional who is keeping track of side effects with you during this time.

Your Name:
Week of:

Write the type and date of your last treatments(s):
Type of Treatment:
Date:

Type of Treatment:
Date:

Your Weight:lbs. (measure once a week)

Side Effects:

Back to Diet, Health and Nutrition

Back to Table of Contents

Page design and graphics: