Peritoneal cancer, a less common malignancy affecting the lining of the abdominal cavity, often presents unique challenges that significantly impact a person’s nutritional status. While no specific diet can prevent or cure this condition, dietary management plays a role in improving overall health and quality of life. Tailoring food choices can support the body’s strength, help manage symptoms, and assist in recovery, making it an important part of comprehensive care.
Understanding Nutritional Challenges
Individuals with peritoneal cancer often face nutritional difficulties that hinder food intake and nutrient absorption. Appetite loss is a common symptom, which makes it hard to consume enough calories. Nausea and vomiting can further reduce appetite and lead to discomfort.
Early satiety, or feeling full quickly after eating only a small amount, is another challenge, often linked to fluid buildup in the abdomen, known as ascites. Malabsorption can occur if the cancer affects the bowel, impairing nutrient absorption. Bowel obstructions or changes in bowel function, such as diarrhea or constipation, can cause pain, bloating, and limit dietary options. These factors make it difficult to maintain body weight and strength, potentially leading to malnutrition.
Core Dietary Principles
Adopting specific dietary principles can help manage nutritional needs for individuals with peritoneal cancer. Consuming nutrient-dense foods is important, focusing on foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and calories. Plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats are beneficial.
Maintaining adequate protein intake is important to support tissue repair, maintain muscle mass, and strengthen the immune system. Sources like lean meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products can provide necessary protein. Ensuring sufficient calorie intake helps prevent unintended weight loss, which can weaken the body’s ability to tolerate treatment and fight infection. Incorporating healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil and certain seafood, can also provide a concentrated source of calories and assist in vitamin transport.
Hydration is important, with a recommendation to drink at least 8-10 glasses of fluid daily, mostly water, but also including soups, smoothies, and milk. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day, rather than three large ones, can help maximize nutrient intake by making it easier to consume food when appetite is limited. This approach can also reduce feelings of fullness and nausea.
Managing Symptoms Through Diet
Dietary strategies can target common symptoms experienced by individuals with peritoneal cancer. To alleviate nausea, particularly during chemotherapy, consuming bland, low-fat foods like crackers, toast, or plain pasta is helpful. Avoiding strong food odors, greasy or spicy foods, and sweet items can also reduce discomfort. Sipping clear, cool beverages between meals, rather than with them, can help maintain hydration without filling the stomach.
For appetite loss, prioritizing calorie and protein-dense foods, even in small amounts, is beneficial. Having easily accessible snacks on hand, such as yogurt, nuts, or prepared nutritional shakes, can help ensure consistent intake. Eating favorite foods when appetite is present, regardless of the time of day, can also encourage consumption.
Managing constipation involves increasing fluid intake and, when appropriate, incorporating soluble fiber. Foods like cooked beans, lentils, and certain fruits and vegetables can help with bowel regularity. However, if a bowel obstruction is present or suspected, a low-fiber diet, consisting of white bread, peeled cooked potatoes, and low-fiber cereals, is recommended to reduce stool volume and prevent worsening symptoms.
When diarrhea occurs, a temporary shift to a low-fiber, bland diet is advised, avoiding spicy, greasy, or high-fat foods. Replacing electrolytes through sports drinks or broths is important to prevent dehydration. For bloating and gas, limiting known gas-producing foods like beans, cabbage, and carbonated beverages can provide relief.
Nutrition During Treatment
Dietary needs can shift during active cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. During chemotherapy, managing side effects such as mucositis (mouth sores) and taste changes is important. Soft, moist foods with mild flavors, like mashed potatoes, custards, or pureed soups, are better tolerated. Avoiding acidic, spicy, or rough-textured foods can prevent irritation to a sore mouth.
Following surgery, the body has an increased need for calories and protein to support healing and recovery. A gradual reintroduction of foods, often starting with clear liquids and progressing to a soft diet, helps the digestive system adjust. High-calorie, high-protein shakes or supplements are recommended to meet increased nutritional demands, especially if solid food intake is limited. Hydration is important during all treatments to help flush out toxins and replace fluids lost due to side effects.
The Role of Professional Guidance
Given the complex and individualized nature of nutritional needs during peritoneal cancer, consulting with healthcare professionals, particularly a registered dietitian (RD) or a Board-Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO), is recommended. These specialists can provide personalized dietary advice tailored to an individual’s cancer stage, treatment plan, and symptom profile.
A dietitian can assess nutritional status, identify potential deficiencies, and develop a comprehensive nutrition care plan. They offer strategies for managing side effects, optimizing nutrient intake, and preserving lean body mass throughout the cancer journey. Their expertise ensures that dietary recommendations are safe, effective, and align with overall medical treatment goals.