Nutrition for intestinal cancer: fractional, gentle, healthy

Colon cancer is the most serious disease of the gastrointestinal tract. A diet for intestinal cancer and a correct lifestyle after chemotherapy has been carried out allow the body to adapt and gain strength, regulate the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and improve the absorption of nutrients necessary for recovery.

Medical nutrition

Like any disease, colon cancer requires a diet, which is a whole nutritional system using treatment tables. It was developed back in the 30s of the last century by one of the founders of dietetics and gastroenterology, Professor M.I. Pevzner, and remains relevant today. Includes 15 treatment tables designed for patients with diseases of various organs and systems. Of these, for intestinal cancer, the diet is used in several versions:

• table No. 3 - if the disease occurs with constipation;
• table No. 4a, 4b, 4c - prescribed for diarrhea.

Nutrition rules for oncology

In order to successfully resist a tumor, cleansing systems must work effectively. The intestine is the main one, but with cancer it loses its dominant role, so nutrition should help the functioning of the liver and kidneys. To do this, exclude from the diet substances that overload these organs:

• smoked sausages, ham, deli meats;
• hot sauces, ketchup, mayonnaise;
• canned food (all types);
• salted fish, caviar;
• fatty dairy products;
• spicy and salty cheese%;
• pork, beef, lamb, chicken fat, margarine.

Saturated fat poses the greatest risk for the occurrence and development of bowel cancer. Obesity is considered as one of the predisposing factors, but the harm of such a diet is not limited to high body weight. In order to break down fats, bile acids are needed. For fatty foods, they require an increased amount; some of the bile acids pass to the large intestine, where they are converted into carcinogenic compounds. If the intestines work sluggishly (there is no plant food), then they are absorbed into the blood, causing progression of the tumor process.

General nutrition rules

For malignant neoplasms in the intestines, proper nutrition, in addition to diet, implies the use of certain rules. In addition to excluding foods that can become carcinogenic to the body, food should:

• easy to digest and assimilate;
• provide the body with necessary vitamins and microelements;
• contain a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates;
• satiate so that the patient does not experience a constant feeling of hunger.

Diet principles

Therefore, for intestinal cancer, each patient is given an individual diet, which is based on general principles:

• frequent and split meals - 5-6 times a day in small portions;
• mushy consistency with the exception of rough food and large, difficult to digest pieces;
• comfortable temperature - food should be warm: very hot or too cold slows down the secretion of gastric juice and the digestion process;
• the optimal amount of food is no more than 3 kg per day to prevent overeating with further disruption of absorption and assimilation of nutrients.

You can’t eat quickly without chewing well. Under such conditions, food does not have time to be broken down and absorbed. Additional risk factors are created for the continuation of the disease.

Useful and permitted products

• Bread made from premium flour;
• Low-fat fermented milk products;
• Vegetables - cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, greens, with the exception of sorrel;
• Fruits – strawberries, raspberries, apples, apricots;
• Cereals – oatmeal and buckwheat;
• Meat – lean veal, rabbit, chicken breast, turkey, seafood, fish;
• Nuts.

Research into nutrition for cancer patients has shown that a number of products can stop the development of pathology. This is due to strengthening the immune system of the patient and the entire body.

Healthy foods:

• Chicken eggs;
• Sea fish;
• Vegetables and plants: tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, brown algae;
• Nuts;
• Green tea.

An example of a one-day diet for a patient with colon cancer:

• 1 breakfast – 200 ml of juice, jelly pre-diluted with water;
• 2nd breakfast – oatmeal cooked in water, 100 grams of kefir with zero fat content, nuts;
• Lunch consists of pureed, steamed fruit;
• Lunch should be pureed vegetable soup, boiled fish, steamed vegetables and a small piece of white bread;
• In the afternoon you should eat stewed vegetables, lean meat puree and fruit jelly;
• Dinner - fresh vegetable salad, low-fat cottage cheese, weakly brewed tea and a small piece of white bread;
• You can drink fruit jelly before bed.

Important! A diet for this pathology should only be prescribed by a specialist. He will draw it up taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

Exclusion of harmful products and carcinogens

It is important to know that a gentle diet for intestinal cancer should be followed for life.

First of all, when preparing a daily and weekly diet for a patient who has undergone intestinal surgery, it is necessary to exclude foods that can act as carcinogens. These include fatty, spicy, fried, smoked, canned, food containing dyes. Dangerous for a patient with intestinal cancer are alcoholic drinks of any strength, saturated animal fats, salty foods (no more than 8 g of salt per day is acceptable, given its content in prepared foods), carbohydrates in large quantities (excess sugar and flour products).

Fatty foods. Since when the intestines are damaged by a malignant tumor, its participation in the digestive processes decreases, the role of the liver and kidneys increases. To maintain the normal functioning of the digestive system, it is necessary to exclude the above foods. Saturated fats are especially harmful:

• pork, lamb, beef, chicken;
• margarine;
• fatty dairy products.

Alimentary obesity, which develops due to poor nutrition, is one of the risk factors for the development of malignant neoplasms in the intestine. Fatty foods also significantly affect the condition of the pancreas: the digestion and absorption of all nutrients is disrupted, and pathological changes are aggravated. To break down fats, an increased amount of bile acids is required. Some of them enter the intestinal lumen and are converted into carcinogenic compounds. If the diet does not contain plant foods containing fiber, peristalsis decreases, and the atonic intestine does not perform its functions. The resulting carcinogens are absorbed into the blood, causing progression of the tumor process.

Meat products. Numerous studies have shown that 87% of patients who managed to achieve stable remission and prevent further development of the disease in the form of spread of metastases to neighboring and distant organs were vegetarians. Therefore, it is recommended to limit the consumption of meat products to 2 times a week. It is allowed to include boiled and baked low-fat fish in the diet.

Alcoholic drinks. Any drink containing even a small amount of alcohol has a diuretic effect. In cancer, bowel function is impaired. After surgery, these disorders worsen, and atony may develop. Dehydration that occurs after drinking alcohol leads to the accumulation of feces in the intestinal lumen. This further reduces its peristalsis. Fecal impactions may develop. The absorption of toxic products into the blood provokes the progression of the pathology:

• increases intoxication;
• worsens general condition;
• contributes to the development of relapse of the disease.

Natural coffee and strong tea have a similar effect.

General rules

Cancer of the intestinal mucosa is a widespread type of cancer, especially in the age group after 55 years. The main morphological variant of oncological tumors are adenocarcinomas . Most often, malignant neoplasms are formed in the tissues of the rectum/colon ( colorectal cancer ), which is characterized by early metastasis through lymphogenous/hematogenous routes to the lymph nodes, liver, peritoneum, bones, as well as germination into the pelvic organs.

The high incidence of this type of cancer is due to the specific function of this part of the intestine, in which there is prolonged contact of feces ( toxins , products of metabolic reactions) with the intestinal mucosa, diseases ( sigmoiditis , ulcerative colitis , polyps, Crohn's disease ) and the nature of the diet, which is dominated by animal fats, proteins and refined foods with insufficient intake of plant fiber into the body. With this type of nutrition, putrefactive processes predominate in the intestines, and the products of protein putrefaction and bile acids produced by the intestinal microflora have a carcinogenic effect.

The main clinical symptoms of colorectal cancer are:

• weight loss, lack of appetite;
• aversion to meat products;
• long-term bowel disorders (constipation/diarrhea);
• the presence of blood in the stool (even black);
• feeling of heaviness, abdominal pain;
• and also, in later stages, weakness, increased fatigue, anemia.

Treatment of colorectal cancer is surgical followed by (preliminary) radiation / chemotherapy . Diet for bowel cancer is an integral method of maintenance therapy, allowing to improve treatment results, reduce the side effects of radiation/chemotherapy and improve the quality of life of patients. Nutrition for intestinal cancer is based on a number of factors, namely the presence/severity of nutritional deficiency, especially during radiation/chemotherapy, the presence and type of metabolic disorders, the period of the disease (pre/postoperative), the physical and psychological state of the patient .

Nutrition in the preoperative period in the absence of tumor-induced weight loss is based on the principles of rational nutrition with an energy balance at the level of 2400-2600 kcal/day. The diet provides for a reduction in fat consumption by 20-25% of the total daily calorie content due to refractory animal fats, limiting the content of refined (easily digestible) carbohydrates, foods containing food additives, fast food, sausages, semi-finished products, carbonated drinks, chips, confectionery products, salt/salty foods and food, fatty red meat, especially fried and smoked, increasing the proportion of fruits, vegetables and grains in the diet.

The diet for intestinal oncology should be balanced in terms of basic food nutrients, include all food groups with a predominance of dairy and plant products (at least 600 g of vegetables/fruits, whole grains and fermented milk products).

In cases of anorexia-cachexia and even with normal body weight, patients with a high risk of its development need to receive enhanced nutrition 10-14 days before surgery, since surgery for intestinal cancer causes nitrogen losses and increases the need for energy even in the absence of correction nutrition can lead to the development of a negative nitrogen balance and various water and electrolyte disorders. Therefore, timely transition of the patient to enhanced nutrition helps protect against weight loss in the postoperative period and during radiation/chemotherapy.

The energy component of the diet during this period should be 3500-4000 kcal/female. According to the recommendations, the daily protein requirement should be 1.2-1.5 g/kg, and the energy requirement should be 25-35 kcal/kg, which is achieved by including high-calorie foods in the diet: sprats, red caviar, creams, chocolate, pates, eggs, honey, cream, nuts, cream, cheeses, which are recommended to be consumed both as main products on the menu and used for snacks.

In the postoperative period, dietary nutrition should be as gentle as possible. After resection of an intestinal tumor, a surgical Diet 0A - fasting for 1-2 days, then the diet is gradually expanded, starting with rice water, weak broth, and berry jelly. In the following days, slimy soups, well-mashed porridge cooked in water (oatmeal, buckwheat), a protein omelet/soft-boiled egg, and later a steamed soufflé/puree of fish and meat are added.

From the second week, the diet includes rice soup with pureed vegetables, milk/semolina and pureed buckwheat porridge, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese diluted with cream, steamed meat cutlets, sour cream, baked apple puree, yogurt, jelly. This diet provides maximum rest for the intestines, forms little feces, and does not cause flatulence . If constipation occurs, from the 7th day onwards, the diet includes boiled beets, dried apricot/prune puree, and kefir.

After removal of an intestinal tumor in the first 4-6 months, Table No. 4B :

• Food should be well pureed, fresh and easily digestible.
• You need to eat food in small portions 5-6 times a day, chewing thoroughly.
• Soups (cereals/vegetables) are prepared in a weak broth with the addition of meatballs and minced meat.
• Cereals are pureed, vegetables (zucchini, carrots, potatoes) are finely chopped.
• It is important to drink enough fluids to prevent constipation.
• Meat consumption is limited; it is preferable to eat lean fish. It is important to have yogurt and “live” kefir in the diet, which help normalize the intestinal microflora.
• Bread - only dried wheat bread in small quantities.
• Vegetables are boiled and well pureed.
• Porridges are prepared in water, excluding corn, barley, millet, and pearl barley.
• Whole milk, cream/sour cream are added to dishes, fermented milk products are allowed to be consumed without restrictions.
• Recommended drinks include juices diluted with water, rosehip infusion, weak tea, and still mineral water.

Excluded from the diet are fatty broths, fatty varieties of red meat, wholemeal bread, coarse and irritating vegetables (radish, garlic, radishes, spinach, onions, celery), canned meat/fish, any fresh bread, legumes, hot sauces, margarine, natural milk, smoked meats, cooking fat, butter dough, coarse cereals, pepper, pork and beef fat, mustard, cakes, ice cream, chocolate, carbonated drinks.

In the later stages, the diet should contain an increased amount of dietary fiber and vitamins (in the absence of diarrhea) due to the inclusion of cereals, whole grain bread, vegetables and fruits. Meat should be consumed with caution, giving preference to sea/river fish and seafood.

Animal fats and products containing trans fats should be completely excluded from the diet, giving preference to vegetable oils containing large quantities of antioxidants. It is still prohibited to consume foods that promote rotting/fermentation and stimulate the secretion of digestive juices (celery, sorrel, mushrooms, horseradish, radish, mustard, radishes, turnips). Gradually, pureed foods are reduced in the diet and well-cooked, not pureed food is introduced. Good tolerability indicates normalization of intestinal secretory/motor function.

Live food

In cancer, the immune system plays an important role. 80% of the cells involved in maintaining high immunity are located in the intestines. Also important is normal microflora, which actively cleanses the body of pathogens. To maintain it, the diet must contain fermented milk products with live bifidum bacteria (bio-yogurts), and plant fiber containing coarse dietary fiber. Fiber improves the condition of the intestines and speeds up emptying when drinking large amounts of water. Fiber contains cellulose and lignin, which are not completely digested or absorbed. When consumed regularly, it:

• removes carcinogens and toxins;
• stimulates the growth of normal microflora;
• enhances peristalsis, which prevents the absorption of toxic substances and bile acids into the blood;
• increases the volume of feces due to the absorption of liquid, softens them, promoting better cleansing.

Every day you need to include in your diet foods that contain it in large quantities: fruits (dried fruits) and vegetables, cereals (wheat, oats, barley, rye).

Diet for colon and sigmoid cancer

The colon refers to the main section of the large intestine. It arises from the cecum and consists of the ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon. The colon does not directly participate in digestion, but absorbs water and electrolytes. From the small intestine, liquid humus enters the colon through the cecum and becomes solid feces.

In case of colon cancer, to avoid constipation, you need to drink a lot of water and eat juicy vegetables, fruits and berries, and drink juices. But after the operation, digestion may go wrong and diarrhea may begin. And if cancer of the sigmoid colon, as part of the colon, is confirmed, you should follow the menu after intestinal surgery to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and eliminate the disorders that plague patients after surgery.

Menu for cancer of the colon and sigmoid colon:

• drink a lot of water: in the morning at 7-00 and during the day 30-60 minutes before meals and 1-1.5 hours after it, if you are thirsty, then you can drink water (not tea or juice) during meals (second dishes);
• first breakfast - biscuits (50 g) with fresh juice or fruit puree;
• second breakfast - vegetable salad with lemon juice instead of salt and vegetable oil (1 tsp) or liquid porridge with baked zucchini or pumpkin;
• afternoon snack – baked apples, carrots and pumpkin with honey (1 tsp);
• lunch - liquid vegetable soup in water, young meat steamed or baked in foil, finely chopped with a salad of herbs, cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes;
• afternoon - well-cooked horns or small pasta, a piece of baked or steamed fish, berry jelly;
• dinner – cottage cheese with yoghurt or fermented baked milk, unleavened cookies (50 g);
• dinner (2 hours before bedtime) – jelly.

Anti-cancer products

Certain foods contain large amounts of active anti-cancer food components.

Carotene. This is provitamin A. Retinol (vitamin A) is a powerful antioxidant: it binds free radicals in the body, preventing their aggressive destructive effect on cells. Carotene is contained in all yellow and red fruits and vegetables (the maximum amount is in carrots and sea buckthorn), and leafy greens.

Indoles. These are biologically active substances with antitumor effects. They are powerful oncological protectors and are part of all cruciferous vegetables. Foods high in indoles:

• all known types of cabbage (maximum - in broccoli);
• radish;
• turnip;
• swede;
• leaf salad;
• arugula.

These compounds block the uncontrolled reproduction and further spread of cancer cells: they inhibit the development of tumors, neutralize toxins and carcinogens, and normalize hormonal balance in the body. Therefore, vegetables containing indoles are recommended for intestinal cancer - the diet must include salads, soups and other dishes with these products.

Foods that cause cancer

Based on an analysis of the food preferences of patients with intestinal cancer, a group of food products was identified that may be a risk factor for tumor diseases. Nutrition for intestinal cancer causes a lot of debate, but most experts agree that the following have carcinogenic properties:

• saturated animal fats;
• high-calorie diet;
• excess sugar and white flour in the diet;
• dyes and preservatives;
• smoked products;
• fried foods;
• deficiency in the menu of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants obtained from fresh plant foods;
• alcoholic drinks;
• consumption of salt in amounts of more than 8 g per day, including that contained in foods.

Oncologists usually recommend minimizing the consumption of meat foods. This means that meat dishes can be no more than 1-2 times a week. Of all the patients who achieved long-term remission and stopped metastasis, 87% were vegetarians. One of the first signs of cancer in many patients is an aversion to meat. Thus, the body itself suggests the importance of changing the diet.

We invite you to read: Is eczema on the hands contagious or not for others?

Vitamins and microelements

For colon cancer, the diet is also aimed at reducing:

• intoxication (nausea, vomiting, weakness) resulting from chemotherapy;
• effects of radiation therapy on healthy tissue.

With a properly selected diet, recovery after surgery occurs faster. For this purpose, the patient’s menu includes products containing large quantities of:

• antioxidants (vitamins A, E, C);
• micro- and macroelements (selenium, calcium);
• omega-3 fatty acids;
• flavonoids.

They include:

• vegetable oils,
• fruits and vegetables,
• cereals,
• lactic acid products,
• legumes

Fish and meat also contain the necessary compounds. But it is recommended to consume fish in moderation, and limit meat as much as possible.

Choose treatment

What can you eat?

Raspberries and apples are good for cancer.
Dietary nutrition for cancer allows you to include the following foods in the menu:

• yesterday's white bread;
• low-fat fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk);
• fruits (raspberries, strawberries, apricots, apples);
• nuts;
• vegetable oil;
• lean varieties of fish and meat;
• vegetables (beets, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini);
• greens (except spinach);
• porridge.

Doctors recommend consuming fruits in the form of jelly, compotes, and juices. They are also allowed to be mashed and baked in the oven. Apples that are stuffed with dried fruits and put in the oven are well suited for such purposes. It is also advisable to grind vegetables and heat them - steam them. Cereals are cooked exclusively in water; making milk porridges or soups is prohibited.

Sample menu

The menu for each patient with colon cancer who needs a diet is compiled individually. Taken into account:

• severity of condition;
• individual preferences;
• tolerance of food components.

All dishes are prepared from healthy ingredients. Despite the restrictions, their list is extensive. The diet consists of main meals and snacks.

Breakfast

Breakfast from permitted and healthy products can be varied, taking into account the patient’s taste:

• pumpkin porridge in milk with ground nuts, homemade apple or blackcurrant juice;
• fruit salad, low-fat cottage cheese with yogurt, carrot-sea buckthorn juice;
• baked apples with cottage cheese, orange juice;
• muesli with finely chopped fruits, grapefruit juice;
• rolled oats with kefir and fruit.

Dinner

Lunch can be prepared from healthy vegetables, grains, fish:

• fish soup, beet salad, rice with baked fish, grapefruit juice;
• beetroot soup, potatoes with carrots and chicken fillet in a pot, green tea;
• vegetable soup, stuffed zucchini, fruit juice;
• pumpkin soup, buckwheat porridge with vegetables, steamed fish, chicory drink;
• oatmeal soup with vegetables, potato casserole with mushrooms, tomato juice.

Dinner

Dinner may consist of the following dishes:

• stuffed peppers, chicory;
• vegetable stew, decoction of prunes and black currants;
• cabbage cutlets (broccoli), beef liver soufflé, apple and plum juice;
• pilaf with soy goulash, seaweed salad, tea;
• Oatmeal cutlets with squash, steamed carrots, cranberry juice.

Some possible dietary options are given. Given the variety of permitted products, the menu can be changed.

Snacks

Suitable for snacks:

• dried fruits steamed in boiling water, or fresh fruits cut into slices;
• yoghurts with bifidobacteria;
• nuts;
• low-fat curd desserts.

Menu for the week

The diet after surgery consists of pureed and ground foods. The emphasis is on soups and cereals that envelop the gastric mucosa. However, boiled vegetables are also useful, which are resolved 7 days after removal of the tumor. Then coarse fiber is included in the diet, which helps normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Mandatory nutrition rules for recovery

Some rules must be strictly followed throughout the entire treatment and in the future.

• Prepare all dishes before eating - they must be fresh and not stored in the refrigerator for a long time.
• Eat food only at room temperature.
• Drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid per day: the volume includes pure non-carbonated water, also tea, compote, juice, liquid first courses.
• The number of meat dishes should be kept to a minimum during the entire course of treatment; after surgery, it is recommended to abstain from meat completely during rehabilitation. It is preferable to eat lean fish.
• The main part of the diet should be carbohydrates, the amount of proteins is sharply reduced.
• The doctor calculates the daily caloric intake individually depending on the severity of the condition and laboratory test data: food should be low-calorie.
• During the entire treatment, food is crushed with a blender or finely chopped to facilitate digestion.
• Fruits and vegetables should not be eaten raw. Useful fruits include compotes, fruit drinks, purees, casseroles, and after surgery - jelly. Vegetables can be steamed or baked in the oven, or made into vegetarian soups. Fresh fruits and vegetables are introduced gradually 3 weeks after surgery in small portions, no more than one new type per day.
• Regardless of the time elapsed after surgery, meals should be fractional: small portions 5 times a day.

Using only one diet for bowel cancer will not be effective in curing the disease. But proper nutrition in combination with therapeutic measures will help the body fight it.

Choose treatment

Nutrition after surgery

Dietary nutrition during surgery is not varied, but it is important to follow it unconditionally, since the diet will contribute to the healing of sutures and normalization of the body. In the first week after surgery, the patient’s diet will include only weak broths, liquids (water, compotes), herbal decoctions and vegetables pureed.

After a week, you can add harder food to your diet, however, it is still important to grind it or beat it in a blender. Consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is prohibited until 3 weeks after the intervention. After this, they are introduced into the menu gradually, so as not to provoke inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. After a month, doctor-approved foods are added to the diet. However, it is important not to forget that they should be consumed in small portions so as not to overload the diseased intestines.