19 Jan Breast Cancer Patients May Benefit From Detailed Nutrition Monitoring

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Cecilia Cesa Schiavon
Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Santa Catarina
Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: The study was based on a nutritional intervention for patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The intervention took place right after the surgical procedure and lasted about a year, until the end of chemotherapy. The patients were submitted to a special methodology of intervention, aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable intake and reducing red and processed meat, following the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research in the document entitled Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective”.

The main findings show that women undergoing breast cancer treatment may benefit from immediate, individualized, and detailed nutrition monitoring through appropriate nutrition education.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: I think that clinicians and patients can consider the possibility of  improving the quality of the diet of patients, even during breast cancer treatment. And it is also a big motivation to know that a healthy diet can contribute to a reduction of the side effects of chemotherapy, and in consequence this can help reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: We suggest a study with more time and more resources to have a larger sample size and to include patients from other health centers.

Additionally, the ideal situation would be to be able to supply the patients with fruits and vegetables to guarantee easy access and, consequently, monitor the consumption more closely.

Citation:

 J Nutr Educ Behav. 2015 Jan-Feb;47(1):2-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2014.09.005.

Nutrition education intervention for women with breast cancer: effect on nutritional factors and oxidative stress.

Schiavon CC¹, Vieira FG¹, Ceccatto V¹, de Liz S¹, Cardoso AL¹, Sabel C², Gonzalez-Chica DA¹, da Silva EL², Galvan D¹, Crippa CG³, Di Pietro PF⁴.

Last Updated on January 19, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD