Food Intake During Cancer Therapy: A Systematic Review
- PMID: 32889891
- PMCID: PMC7584741
- DOI: 10.1097/COC.0000000000000749
Food Intake During Cancer Therapy: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Aim: Conduct a systematic review of available evidence on food and beverage intake during cancer treatment.
Objective: Determine what food or beverages consumed during cancer treatment might prevent recurrence, subsequent malignancies, treatment-related toxicity, or death.
Background: Food and beverage intake, as well as weight status, can integrate with cancer treatment to mitigate treatment-related toxicities, support treatment success, and prevent recurrence. Yet, evidence-based recommendations are lacking.
Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochran for research studies conducted within the last 10 years on food and beverage consumption during cancer treatment, with no restrictions on age or cancer type. Two reviewers independently extracted information on intervention type, diet, and outcomes; these data were confirmed by a third reviewer.
Results: Nineteen studies were selected from 1551 potential studies. Nine were randomized controlled trials, analyzing high protein diets, short-term fasting, low-fat diets, FODMAP diet, or comparing consumption of 1 specific food or nutrient, including Concord grape juice, onions, and fiber. The remaining 10 studies were observational or retrospective and tracked treatment symptoms, general dietary intake, or weight status as well as consumption of specific foods including nuts, coffee, sugar-sweetened beverages.
Conclusions: Available evidence suggests food can be effective at ameliorating cancer treatment-related toxicities and improving prognosis, but more research is needed.
Conflict of interest statement
Similar articles
-
Beverage Consumption in Relation to Discretionary Food Intake and Diet Quality among US Adults, 2003 to 2012.J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016 Jan;116(1):28-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2015.08.009. Epub 2015 Sep 11. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016. PMID: 26372338
-
Beverage intake among preschool children and its effect on weight status.Pediatrics. 2006 Oct;118(4):e1010-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2005-2348. Pediatrics. 2006. PMID: 17015497
-
Eating occasion situational factors and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in young adults.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020 Jun 3;17(1):71. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-00975-y. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020. PMID: 32493366 Free PMC article.
-
Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: The state of the controversy.Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2016;53(1):52-67. doi: 10.3109/10408363.2015.1084990. Epub 2015 Sep 17. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2016. PMID: 26376619 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Breakfast Characteristics and Their Association with Energy, Macronutrients, and Food Intake in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients. 2020 Aug 15;12(8):2460. doi: 10.3390/nu12082460. Nutrients. 2020. PMID: 32824257 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Unlocking the Potential of Bioactive Compounds in Pancreatic Cancer Therapy: A Promising Frontier.Biomolecules. 2025 May 15;15(5):725. doi: 10.3390/biom15050725. Biomolecules. 2025. PMID: 40427617 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Eliminating Digestive Irregularities Caused by Late Effects: A Pilot Study of an Innovative Culinary Nutrition Intervention for Reducing Gastrointestinal Toxicity in Gynecologic Cancer Patients Who Have Undergone Pelvic Radiotherapy.Nutrients. 2024 Dec 6;16(23):4227. doi: 10.3390/nu16234227. Nutrients. 2024. PMID: 39683620 Free PMC article.
-
Lung cancer, treatment and nutritional status.Mol Clin Oncol. 2021 Dec;15(6):248. doi: 10.3892/mco.2021.2410. Epub 2021 Oct 1. Mol Clin Oncol. 2021. PMID: 34671467 Free PMC article.
-
Diet-microbiome interactions in cancer treatment: Opportunities and challenges for precision nutrition in cancer.Neoplasia. 2022 Jul;29:100800. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2022.100800. Epub 2022 Apr 29. Neoplasia. 2022. PMID: 35500546 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Promising Effects of N-Docosahexaenoyl Ethanolamine in Breast Cancer: Molecular and Cellular Insights.Molecules. 2023 Apr 25;28(9):3694. doi: 10.3390/molecules28093694. Molecules. 2023. PMID: 37175104 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- National Center for Health S. Health, United States Health, United States, 2016: With Chartbook on Long-term Trends in Health. Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US), 2017. - PubMed
-
- National Cancer Institute. Cancer Statistics. April 27, 2018. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics. Accessed.
-
- Incio J, Liu H, Suboj P, et al. Obesity-Induced Inflammation and Desmoplasia Promote Pancreatic Cancer Progression and Resistance to Chemotherapy. Cancer discovery. 2016;6(8):852–69. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-15-1177. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
-
- National Cancer Institute. Side Effects of Cancer Treatment. September 22, 2017. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects. Accessed July 5, 2018.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical