Nutrition Counseling Program To Help Cancer Patients

Breast cancer patients who previously did not have access to individualized nutrition counseling are being helped through a pilot program at Ohio State University Medical Center in an effort to improve recovery and lessen recurrence.

The ONE (Oncology Nutrition Education) For All Project will provide medical nutrition therapy to breast cancer patients who do not have access to such insurance-funded care. The project targets underserved women in 23 Ohio counties who receive breast health, cancer prevention, treatment or post-treatment care at the Comprehensive Breast Care Center at JamesCare Dublin.

"We were the first to develop an outpatient nutrition program designed specifically for our breast cancer patients to help them better tolerate chemotherapy with fewer side effects, says program director Dr. Kari Kendra, an oncologist at The James and a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. "We developed this program because proper nutritional intervention can improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors while decreasing their risk of recurrence.

Common nutrition risk factors for breast cancer patients include high-fat diets, malnutrition and poor eating habits, according to Kendra.

"If we can improve their unhealthy lifestyles, they ,, ll come out of chemotherapy far better than when they came in, and possibly even decrease their risk of breast cancer recurrence, Kendra says.

A $10,000 grant from the Columbus affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure provides nutritional counseling and educational services for breast cancer patients in medically underserved populations in central and southern Ohio.

Robin Gaff, clinical dietitian for the Medical Center ,, s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics co-wrote the grant proposal.

"We saw a need to provide financial assistance to patients who could benefit from nutrition interventions for cancer-related side effects and healthy dietary advice for survivorship, Gaff says.

The funds will provide breast-health education utilizing the expertise of a registered and licensed dietitian who specializes in breast cancer nutrition. The program includes nutrition screening and education for about 50 patients who will meet up to four times with a dietitian for individualized consultations. Often, insurance companies will not pay for nutritional services for cancer patients.

"We will also attempt to address unique problems that arise from the cultural diversity of this underserved population, as culture has a dramatic impact on available food products, food choices and food preparation, says Gaff, who is collaborating with Kendra on the project.

The outcomes of the program will be measured by compiling data from patients during each visit, including weight changes and laboratory results. One goal is to help breast cancer patients reduce risk of recurrence by achieving and maintaining a healthy weight range during and after cancer treatments.

Another goal is to provide nutrition interventions that can assist with reducing many side effects and toxicities from chemotherapy and radiation. Studies show that early interventions result in better outcomes as demonstrated by decreased delays in chemotherapy and radiation treatment schedules, and improved quality of life for breast cancer patients.

Studies have shown that breast cancer patients who gain weight during treatment have a higher risk for recurrence, Kendra says.

Eating more fruits, vegetables and whole-grain fiber, along with walking 30 minutes three times a week can help cancer patients feel better and make chemotherapy easier to tolerate, Gaff says.

As part of the program, Gaff lectures, gives cooking demonstrations and develops high-protein, high-fiber and low-fat recipes to encourage breast cancer survivors to eat healthfully. Breast cancer survivors are encouraged to decrease dietary fats, increase dietary fiber and avoid plant-based estrogens, such as soy products.

"We want to get people through their chemotherapy, support them through the recommended treatment, and make lifestyle and nutritional modifications to enhance the likelihood of doing well long term, Kendra says.