Clinical Nutrition
Nutritional therapy is an important part of cancer treatment. The cause of cancer remains uncertain. The domestic and international scholars consider the occurrence of cancer is the combined effect of several factors and it is the neoplasm that developed by abnormal cell proliferation in response to internal and external carcinogenic factors. The impact factors include heredity, nutrition, psychology and environment, etc. The dietary factor plays a vital role among all these factors. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the World Cancer Institute, well-balanced nourishment can considerably reduce their risk of developing cancer by 30 to 40%. The development stage of cancer can be divided into initiation stage, promotion stage and the malignant progression stage. As tumors in the first two stages classify as relatively benign, the lesion can be reversed with sufficient and well-balanced nourishment. Some nutrients have excellent therapeutic value because they can even act as antioxidant, inhibit tumor angiogenesis and boost immunity. Among the 1.8 million annual new cancer cases in China, more than 80% suffer from weight loss and malnutrition and the prevalence of malnutrition among medium and advanced cancer patients is even higher. Both the clinical workers and researchers reach a consensus that malnutrition will reduce patient’s quality of life and affect the treatment on the primary disease and its prognosis.
Clinical nutrition focuses on nutrition risk screening and nutritional evaluation in cancer patients. It also consists of nutrition consultation, nutrition education, enteral and parenteral nutritional therapy, nutrition product admixture service and design of diet. Nutrition Department provides different types of enteral nutrition preparations for patients, including elemental type, non-elemental type and module type. We also make individualized nutrition program for cancer patients’, which is based on their result of nutritional evaluation.
Combining clinical nutrition with herbal cuisine can provide more comprehensive nutritional support for cancer patients and improve their quality of life.
Herbal Cuisine
Traditional Chinese Medicine maintains that both foods and medicines are of equal importance as both are of the same source, possess the same theory of use, and have similar pharmacodynamics. The combination of herbal nourishment and food nourishment can improve the nutrition function as well as the spleen and stomach function of cancer patients. This can also strengthen body resistance, detoxify and eliminate pathogen. Herbal cuisine should change according to the type of cancer, treatment, physical condition and season. The application of herbal cuisine should be guided by professional dietitians. It will cause the opposite effect because of incorrect application. As for Western Medicine, nutritional therapy like nutritional supplement therapy, enteral and parenteral nutritional support, body-alkalinization therapy and drinking water treatment, etc.
Common Prescription Diets for Cancer Patient
Gastric Cancer
Dried Longan and Peanut Porridge with Donkey-Hide Gelatin
Indication: gastric cancer patient of stomach yin deficiency. This porridge can benefit yin, nourish the stomach, strengthen the spleen and replenish the blood.
Citrus Porridge
Indication: Gastric cancer patient with vomit due to circulation of vital Qi in the wrong direction. This porridge can strengthen spleen, smoothen the flow of Qi, calm the adverse-rising Qi and stop vomit.
Astragalus and Hericium Erinaceus Soup
Indication: Gastric cancer of deficiency in Qi and blood. This soup can replenish the Qi and nourish the blood.
Liver Cancer
Chicken Stock and Coix Seed Porridge
Indication: Liver cancer of spleen and stomach deficiency; patients with swelling in limbs, abdominal distension and poor appetite. This porridge can strengthen middle-jiao, benefit the Qi and induce the diuresis to alleviate edema.
Silkie Stew with Pseudo Ginseng and American Ginseng
Indication: liver cancer of Qi deficiency and blood stasis.
Hawthorn and Soft-shelled Turtle Soup
Indication: Liver cancer of Qi deficiency and stagnation. This soup is good at strengthening inborn Qi, promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, phlegm turbidity and blood stasis syndromes.
Lung Cancer
Honeysuckle and Pear Drink
Indication: Lung cancer of phlegm-heat syndrome; patients that cough a lot and their phlegm are yellow and sticky. This drink is good at heat-clearing and detoxifying. It also nourishes the lung and reduces phlegm.
Loquat and White Fungus Stew
Indication: Lung cancer patient with yin deficiency and internal heat after taking radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This stew is good for nourishing the yin and lung, clearing heat and replenishing the Qi.
Lotus Seed, Lily and Pork Soup
Indication: Lung cancer of the Qi and yin deficiency. This soup can serve as an adjuvant therapy for radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is beneficial for benefiting Qi, strengthening spleen, nourishing the lung and yin, clearing heat and relieving cough.
Breast Cancer
Honeysuckle and Astragalus Soup
Indication: Heat-toxin accumulation syndrome; this soup can serves as adjuvant factor for breast pain and fester. It is beneficial for heat-clearing and detoxifying, while strengthening the bodies resistance.
Leonurus and Flos Lonicerae Drink
Indication: Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. This drink can promote blood and Qi circulation, remove blood stasis and relieve phlegm turbidity and blood stasis syndromes.
Astragalus, Wolfberry and Squab Stew
Indication: Breast cancer of Qi and blood deficiency, liver and kidney deficiency syndromes. This stew can nourish the liver and the kidneys, replenish Qi and nourish the blood.
Colon Cancer
Pork Tripe and Water Chestnut Soup
Indication: Intestinal cancer of the spleen and stomach deficiency. This soup helps in strengthening the spleen, benefits the Qi, clear heat and detoxify.
Serissa Serissoides and Brown Sugar Drink
Indication: Intestinal cancer patients with symptoms of loose bowels and bloody mucus in stool. This drink can cleanse intestines, resolve dampness, detoxify and fight cancer.
