New guidelines to help people with cancer to eat well

Leading cancer charities, Penny Brohn UK and Macmillan Cancer Support have teamed up, along with specialist dietitians from Avon and Somerset NHS Trusts to create two free in-depth booklets to help people living with cancer to eat well: Eating well during cancer treatment and Eating well when eating becomes difficult.

Eating well is an important way we can support our health and wellbeing; but eating isn’t always easy, especially during cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, the booklets provide guidance and tips to eating well during treatment and also look at specific symptoms that can make eating during treatment difficult.

The information was compiled by oncology dietitians, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, radiographers and nutritional therapists; and has been reviewed by members of the public. Eating well can help reduce some of the side-effects of treatment and can reduce the chances of cancer returning. The booklets aim to help people living with cancer eat as well as they can to boost their strength, manage side-effects and symptoms, inform them about food hygiene during chemotherapy and answer questions commonly asked by others going through cancer treatment.

Dr Catherine Zollman, Medical Director at Penny Brohn UK said: “Eating well is an important way to support health and wellbeing; but this isn’t always easy for people affected by cancer. These booklets are the first evidence based guidance produced jointly by doctors, NHS dietitians and nutritional therapists; designed to take the stress and contradiction out of eating to support health during cancer treatment.”

Vicky Jane, a Specialist Dietitian from NHS North Bristol Trust said: “Patients often ask how they can improve their diet to support themselves through cancer treatment, and can report feeling overwhelmed by the array of information and advice available to them. These resources aim to provide people with evidence based guidance and practical advice to; eat well during treatment, answer commonly asked questions, and help people manage their diet in the presence of cancer and treatment related side-effects. It has been fantastic to have a collaborative approach to this project with other local professionals, and we really hope that these resources help to reduce the confusion surrounding nutrition and cancer treatment.”

Macmillan Learning and Development Manager and Registered Dietitian Jill Scott added: “It is so important for people to have clear, easy-to-follow advice on eating well during cancer. That’s why Macmillan has funded and supported the development of these new guidelines. I hope they will help and empower many people living with cancer to support their own wellbeing throughout their treatment and into recovery.”

With nearly 40 years’ experience, Penny Brohn UK recognises that people with cancer need more than medicine. Its Bristol Whole Life Approach provides integrated whole person cancer support that works alongside medical treatment to achieve the best health and wellbeing.

The booklets were funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and produced in partnership with Penny Brohn UK and Specialist Registered Dietitians based at Weston Area Health Trust, North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

Both booklets are available to download for free from

www.pennybrohn.org.uk/services/resources/eating-well/