Eating with stomach cancer presents challenges, but maintaining proper nutrition is central to managing the condition and supporting overall well-being. Dietary adjustments are frequently necessary to help maintain strength, manage symptoms, and enhance the body’s ability to cope throughout the cancer journey.
How Stomach Cancer Affects Eating
Stomach cancer directly impacts the digestive system, making eating and nutrient absorption difficult. A tumor can obstruct food passage, leading to discomfort, fullness, and inadequate food intake.
The presence of cancer, or surgical removal of part or all of the stomach (gastrectomy), can significantly reduce the stomach’s capacity. This smaller volume means individuals feel full more quickly after consuming only small quantities of food, known as early satiety. Changes to the stomach’s structure or cell damage can impair digestion and nutrient absorption, leading to malabsorption of fats, vitamins, and minerals like B12, iron, folate, and calcium. The disease itself can also cause appetite loss and alter metabolism, contributing to weight loss.
Adapting Your Diet
Adapting one’s diet is important for individuals with stomach cancer to ensure adequate nutrition and manage symptoms. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day (five to six times) is often more manageable than larger ones. This approach helps prevent the stomach from becoming overly full, reducing discomfort and allowing for consistent nutrient intake. Eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly also aids digestion.
Focusing on easily digestible foods with high caloric and protein content is beneficial. Protein is essential for tissue repair, maintaining muscle mass, and supporting the immune system. Lean meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products, and plant-based proteins like beans and nut butters are good choices. Incorporating healthy fats like olive oil and avocado can also add calories without increasing food volume significantly.
Soft, bland foods, such as cooked vegetables, soft fruits, and pureed dishes, are generally better tolerated. Limiting or avoiding foods that can irritate the stomach, such as highly fatty, spicy, acidic, or fibrous foods, often reduces discomfort. These include fried foods, processed meats, citrus fruits, and certain raw vegetables. Staying well-hydrated by sipping fluids between meals, rather than with meals, can prevent premature fullness.
Managing Eating-Related Challenges
Coping with eating-related challenges requires strategies to alleviate symptoms and side effects. Nausea can be managed by consuming cold or room-temperature foods, as they tend to have less odor than hot foods. Bland options like crackers, toast, or plain yogurt are often more tolerable, and ginger-containing foods or drinks may help settle the stomach. Avoiding overly sweet, fatty, or strongly scented foods can also prevent nausea.
Early fullness can be addressed by prioritizing calorie-dense and protein-rich foods in smaller portions. Drinking high-calorie, high-protein beverages or nutritional supplements between meals can help meet energy needs when solid food intake is limited. Abdominal pain might be lessened by eating slowly, choosing soft foods, and avoiding foods known to cause indigestion, such as fizzy drinks, alcohol, and spicy items.
Changes in taste or smell, which can make food unappealing, may be improved by experimenting with different flavors and textures, or by trying tart foods like lemons. Managing fatigue by planning meals ahead, preparing simple snacks, and accepting help with cooking can ensure consistent nutrition even on low-energy days. Timing meals around treatments, perhaps eating a light snack before, can also help mitigate treatment-induced nausea.
Seeking Professional Nutritional Support
Navigating eating with stomach cancer is significantly aided by professional guidance. Registered dietitians, particularly those specializing in oncology, are key members of the healthcare team. They create personalized meal plans tailored to an individual’s specific needs, considering the extent of the cancer, treatment side effects, and any surgical changes.
These specialists can recommend appropriate nutritional supplements, such as oral nutritional supplements that provide concentrated calories and protein. In cases where oral intake is insufficient, they can assess the need for enteral feeding, which involves delivering nutrients directly to the digestive tract via a tube. Dietitians also monitor nutritional status, identifying and addressing potential deficiencies in vitamins and minerals like B12, iron, and calcium, which are often affected in stomach cancer patients. Open communication with the entire medical team ensures that nutritional strategies are integrated seamlessly with overall cancer treatment, supporting recovery and maintaining quality of life.