Physical Examinations

Cancer patients will typically have their weight assessed as part of a comprehensive physical examination. Physicians and other health professionals will perform an overall assessment of a patient’s health that will include examinations for anomalous growths, lumps, excessive buildup of fluids, bone density, fat to muscle ratios, etc. These physical examination findings will help the oncology dietician in their planning of the patient’s nutrition program, a strategy that be will typically be coordinated with physicians or other health care professionals. This approach to cancer care diet is an interdisciplinary effort that will typically include the participation of those professionals listed below:

• Licensed or registered oncology dietician

• Oncology nurses

• Oncologists

• Psychology professionals

• Members of the social worker community

• Family members

The coordinated efforts of the nutrition team are designed to achieve a broad spectrum of desired results that are all intended to help a cancer patient attain optimal possible health during their treatment for their disease. Listed below are some of the diet-related objectives the nutrition team hopes to achieve:

• Maintain a patient’s maximally possible strength and energy levels. Cancer and its associated treatments can take a heavy toll on a patient’s ability to maintain their vigor and resistance to fatigue that so often accompanies a variety of cancer treatments.

• Help to minimize the oftentimes debilitating side-effect of cancer treatment. Chemotherapies and radiation treatments for cancer can have a devastating effect on a patient’s digestive tract. Nausea and vomiting, severe loss of appetite, damage to taste buds, etc., can provide the dietary team with a formidable challenge to ensuring a patient’s proper nutrition.

• Build resistance to infection. Many cancer treatments will have the undesired side-effect of immune system suppression. Opportunistic diseases can present themselves while the patient is in an immune system weakened state, and proper nutrition during this period of treatment is essential to increase the odds against infection.

• Help the patient to heal and recover from surgical wounds, other treatments or the disease itself. The body deals best with illness when it is properly nourished, and special diets are designed to maximize a patient’s intake of certain nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, etc.

• Maximize proper fat, muscle, and bone density ratios.

• Maximize enjoyment of foods and quality of life.