Food as medicine? How nutrition can improve cancer outcomes. - Harvard Gazette

"“Cancer patients have increased nutritional needs due to cancer itself or due to treatment-related nutrition impacts symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, which place them at high risk of malnutrition,” said Fang Fang Zhang, who specializes in cancer epidemiology and nutrition."

"“Zhang explained that up to 85 percent of all cancer patients, especially those undergoing treatment or diagnosed with late-stage disease, are at risk of malnutrition. This can lead to increased inflammation, weight loss, decrease in muscle mass, and weakened immune function, all of which can negatively affect a patient's ability to tolerate treatment and can lead to more hospitalizations.”"

"“For this reason, nutrition-based interventions may provide ways to not just increase the quality of life for patients but also reduce billions of dollars in direct medical costs each year nationwide that occur due to these issues, said Zhang, who is also a faculty member of the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts.”"

"“Zhang explained that there are three main Food Is Medicine programs that provide nutritional support to patients with diet-sensitive conditions. The first is through medically tailored meals, designed for the specific needs of individual patients and delivered to their home.”"

Cancer patients often have increased nutritional needs because cancer and treatment-related symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and vomiting raise the risk of malnutrition. Up to 85% of cancer patients, particularly those undergoing treatment or diagnosed with late-stage disease, may be at risk. Malnutrition can increase inflammation, cause weight loss and decreased muscle mass, and weaken immune function, which can reduce tolerance of treatment and increase hospitalizations. Nutrition-based interventions can improve quality of life and lower direct medical costs. Food Is Medicine programs include medically tailored meals delivered to patients’ homes, nutrition support for diet-sensitive conditions, and additional structured nutritional assistance designed to match patient needs.

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