Symptoms, risk factors, most affected subjects and nutritional therapy of esophageal cancer. The importance of the Mediterranean diet and the recognition of Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Difficulty swallowing, malnutrition, dehydration and weight loss. These are the typical symptoms of esophageal cancer that occur in the patient when the neoplasm is already advanced. In practice, the patient cannot swallow solid food because it narrows the esophagus as the tumour spreads.
Among the risk factors that can determine the onset of esophageal cancer, we find excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, an unbalanced diet, the presence of human papillomavirus infections, genetic predisposition and familiarity. This type of cancer develops in the cells that line the oesophagus wall (the tube that connects the throat with the stomach). But what are the most common forms? Squamous cell carcinoma (in the upper part of the oesophagus) and adenocarcinoma (in the lower position).
As the tumour spreads, it invades several nerves as well as other organs and tissues. Consequently, it can manifest itself with different symptoms and determine the onset of further problems, which is why it is essential to consult a specialist promptly. But what can someone diagnosed with esophageal cancer eat? What does nutritional therapy consist of?
Which Patients Are Most Affected By Esophageal Cancer?
In the vast majority of cases, these are elderly patients. Consider the difficulty of managing these patients also on a psychological level. It is not easy to accept this type of situation. Therefore, in these cases, nutritional intervention should be mandatory. Unfortunately, in medical practice, the intervention of the nutritionist is still a long way off in almost all hospitals, so a warning should be to have the nutrition specialist intervene from the first contact with the patient.
What Are The Difficulties Of The Patient With Esophageal Cancer?
Unlike all other areas of the human body, the neoplasm of the oesophagus is the most delicate. The patient is in a situation of malnutrition, previous to the surgical operation, as he is unable to swallow food and, in the most severe cases, is in a state of dehydration since he has difficulty in swallowing even water to cause the neoplastic obstructions that are found inside the oesophagus. Therefore, nutritional intervention in these patients represents, compared to all the others, something urgent.
How To Prepare The Patient For The Intervention From A Nutritional Point Of View?
In my clinical practice, I often prepare patients for artificial nutrition with hydration bags and nutrient bags. Once the patient is framed from a nutritional point of view, the whole process related to the surgical operation begins. Most often, it is an ablation operation, i.e. removal of the oesophagus with tremendous side effects. The patient must do his swallowing exercises.
In The Case Of Esophageal Cancer, What Diet To Follow?
Some foods have preventive and protective functions. These are those foods that are part of the Mediterranean diet.
Why Is It Important To Follow The Mediterranean Diet?
The concept of the Mediterranean diet is so precious that it cannot be abandoned. Still, unfortunately, it is often overwhelmed by fashionable diets that do the opposite of what should be a protective action on food. Proper nutrition and good health depend on the attitude one has and the information that the population should have. Therefore, you must follow the Mediterranean diet, consume wholemeal products, extra virgin olive oil, legumes, dairy products. All strictly good quality products, because they are not always.
Do You Recommend Eating Meat?
Often, the flesh is discriminated against and demonized, but there is no scientific evidence in reality. Or rather, there is evidence of excessive consumption of red meat and, therefore, it is believed that red meat should be eliminated. This is not the case, especially for tumours related to the stomach and oesophagus.
In these cases, there is a need to combat malnutrition and, therefore, there is a need for noble proteins, proteins that come from meat, fish, eggs. Excessive consumption is a danger, but we cannot think of having adequate nutritional therapy by eliminating noble proteins such as those just mentioned.
How Important Is The Way The Meat Is Cooked?
That’s right. The secret may be in the cooking mode. Grilled steak should be avoided. Better to cook the meat in broth, with meat sauce, stewed, in a pan.
What Can The Patient Eat During Chemotherapy Days?
In clinical studies, unfortunately, not much is found in this regard. Scientific work should be done on the nutritional techniques to be used during chemotherapy. To date, they are still very few. Some propose fasting in the two days preceding and the day following the chemotherapy infusion. On the day of the chemotherapy session, a study proposes an excess of sugars (for example, through the consumption of fruit juice, cola, sweets, chocolate) to convey the drug to the appropriate locations.
However, these are ideas that have little scientific confirmation and leave the time they find. However, there is a sense in this study because the tumour site is greedy for sugars, products that have a significant impact from a glycemic point of view; therefore, it has been proposed that these patients should consume this in the course of chemotherapy type of products.
What Can The Cancer Patient Eat After Surgery?
In the first two / three weeks, I administer to these cancer patients a liquid diet based on baby food and creams (brown rice creams, pasta creams, whole grain creams). After that, there is a sort of “weaning”, that is to say, all the products that are a little more acceptable from the point of view of consistency are introduced.
So, it starts with consuming grated fruit, eggs and other products that do not cause problems in swallowing. Every week, I summon the patients, and we change something in the diet according to their state of health.
How Can Esophageal Cancer Be Prevented?
It is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle and follow a correct diet. In food, there are molecules, chemical reactions that have protective characteristics. The problem is that proper dietary education is not given. Many, even young people, do not have the slightest idea of how to take care of their state of health. It’s simpler than you think. It would be enough to provide the correct information as we are doing.
How Important Is Maintaining A Healthy Weight?
Bodyweight is the totem of the concept of food and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases.
Mediterranean Diet ” Come About?
Inseparable from great wellbeing and gastronomic innovativeness, the Mediterranean eating routine is viewed as an illustration of social lavishness connected to the domain, delight and society—a way of life. The Mediterranean eating routine incorporates dietary patterns that favour ideal ailments on account of the utilization of natural products; vegetables; grains, and their handling items (bread, pasta), particularly wholemeal; vegetables; additional virgin olive oil (to be devoured crude without misrepresenting); fish; meat (to be burned-through with some restraint red and prepared meats, cold cuts and salami).
As of now, as logical proof shows, the Mediterranean eating routine addresses an exact model of a sound and economical eating regimen that favours the avoidance of various illnesses like heftiness, diabetes, malignant growth, osteoporosis, blood vessel hypertension and decreases the danger of the beginning of cardiovascular illnesses (coronary vein infection, respiratory failure ).
To forestall the beginning of neoplastic infections, the service features that it is essential to restrict the regular admission of all food varieties with unhealthy substances. In this manner, food sources are wealthy in fats and sugars, liquor, and sweet beverages.
Besides, as indicated by some epidemiological examinations, the individuals who lead an inactive way of life and don’t rehearse actual work get as often as possible sick with malignancy of the digestive system, bosom and endometrium. Subsequently, a proper way of life advancing malignant growth anticipation is also founded on presenting actual work.
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