Diet and proper nutrition for ovarian cancer. The effectiveness of a proper diet for ovarian cancer Nutrition after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer

Cancer pathologies are considered the most poorly understood today. Unclear etiology, long-term latent development, extensive metastasis and frequent cases of relapses after surgery make malignant oncologies deadly.

Ovarian cancer is also characterized by a long period of asymptomatic development, and metastasis begins already at the third stage of development.

Quite often, malignant cells penetrate nearby lymph nodes and the abdominal cavity, forming metastases in them, which spread further to the vaginal tissues and other pelvic organs.

During this period, the patient begins to experience pronounced pain, which pushes her to go to the doctor. After a thorough examination, the gynecological oncologist will select the most optimal treatment option.

Treatment methods for ovarian cancer

The approach to therapy is selected in accordance with the type of tumor process and its stage. The gynecological oncologist, taking into account the general health, age characteristics and wishes of the patient regarding treatment, selects a therapeutic plan.

Typically, treatment is a complex of several techniques and includes areas such as:

• Surgical treatment;
• Chemotherapy;
• Radiation therapy, etc.

In addition, relatively new techniques such as targeted therapy, bone marrow transplantation, etc. are used in the treatment of ovarian oncology.

Surgery

The goal of surgical treatment is to remove the primary tumor focus to the maximum extent possible.

The main method of removal for ovarian cancer is uterine extirpation along with both ovaries and appendages.

But quite often the possibility of preserving reproductive functions is out of the question, for example, when the patient’s life depends on the operation.

During the operation, the doctor examines the abdominal cavity and if he detects penetration of the tumor process into the bladder, intestines and other organs, the surgeon performs a partial removal of these organs.

Survival for ovarian oncology depends on correct and timely surgical intervention. But it is not always possible to remove all tumor tissue, so the doctor removes what is possible, and then mandatory chemotherapy is carried out.

Partial removal is usually carried out in the first two stages of oncology.

In other cases, the decision on such removal is made strictly individually, but in general such operations are no longer carried out at stages 3-4.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy for malignant oncology of ovarian tissue is used quite rarely, because it does not have a high therapeutic effect. It is usually prescribed for the treatment of relapses, when the oncology is not amenable to surgical and chemotherapy treatment.

Radiation therapy is also used as part of palliative treatment, because it improves the quality of life by relieving pain symptoms.

Radiotherapy is never used as an independent method; it always complements chemotherapy, increasing its effectiveness, or surgical treatment, after which it destroys the remaining cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

After surgery or on its own for ovarian cancer, chemotherapy is used, which involves the use of drugs that inhibit the activity of malignant cellular structures and inhibit the growth of cancerous formations.

In addition, the use of anticancer medications is justified as part of palliative therapy to alleviate the clinical picture and prolong the life of patients with stage 4 metastatic ovarian cancer.

Traditional chemotherapy comes in several types:

1. Adjuvant– when a course of treatment with anticancer drugs is prescribed after surgical removal of the tumor;
2. Non-adjuvant– when antitumor drugs are prescribed for the purpose of preoperative tumor reduction.

In general, the purpose of chemotherapy is to inhibit tumor growth, prevent metastasis and postoperative relapses, increase the life expectancy of patients with advanced ovarian cancer and suppress the activity of cancer cell structures.

For chemotherapeutic effects, platinum drugs such as Paclitaxel or Carboplatin are used, which are combined with cytostatic agents (Docetaxel, Fluorouracil or Cyclophosphamide).

Nutrition during and after chemotherapy

With ovarian cancer, the body is greatly oppressed by malignant processes, so it needs additional resources to combat the pathology.

They are provided by a specially selected diet, which necessarily includes:

• Dairy products such as milk, butter, kefir, cheese or yoghurt. They are rich in vitamins and calcium, which contribute to accelerated recovery of the body;
• Protein-rich foods include fish, soy, eggs, nuts, liver and meat. These foods are rich in B-vitamins and iron, so it is recommended that cancer patients eat them at least 2 times a day;
• Vegetables fruits. It is recommended to eat them dried or fresh. Such products strengthen the immune system and help the body recover faster.

Freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices, herbs, etc. are especially useful.

Thermoperfusion

This treatment method involves applying heat to cancer tissue, which damages the protein structure of cancer cells. As a result, there is a noticeable reduction in the tumor, which also becomes more sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Thermal perfusion involves treating the ovaries and nearby organs that have undergone an oncological process. This treatment has many side effects such as bleeding, increased thrombus formation, pain, etc.

Therapy depending on the stage of the disease

The effectiveness of therapy and the choice of its methods depend on the specific stage of ovarian cancer. Organ-preserving operations are performed in the early stages of pathology.

If oncology has developed to stages 3-4, then it will no longer be possible to save the ovaries and uterus.

Since ovarian cancer is more often detected in the later stages of pathology, the operations are carried out mainly radical with the removal of the ovaries, uterus, pelvic lymph nodes and tissue, and fallopian tubes.

If the tumor process has spread to other organs, then, if possible, their affected parts are also removed.

New in the treatment of ovarian cancer

A relatively new therapeutic approach for ovarian cancer is the combination of bone marrow transplantation with aggressive chemotherapy.

Anticancer drugs kill not only cancer cells, but also healthy cells. After chemotherapy, the body gradually recovers, however, the hematopoietic and immune systems take the greatest blow.

Sometimes the consequences of such treatment cause the development of an infection, which quickly affects the weakened body and increases the risk of death. If a bone marrow transplant is performed after chemotherapy, the body recovers faster.

As a result, more chemotherapy courses can be given, which will make remission last longer.

Rehabilitation after therapy

The course of rehabilitation after anticancer therapy can last for quite a long time, up to a year.

In order for the body to recover faster, it is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat rationally, and systematically attend therapeutic exercise training and massage sessions. There are no special recommendations regarding the rehabilitation of cancer patients after treatment; the main thing is to follow the doctor’s instructions.

• A woman definitely needs to reconsider her diet, adjust her work and rest schedule, and avoid physical and psycho-emotional overload.
• It is recommended to go to bed and get up in the morning at the same time.
• After surgery to remove ovarian cancer, it is necessary to avoid sexual contact for one and a half to two months.
• If there is a tendency towards depression, then the patient should definitely seek psychological help.

Relapse and its symptoms

The risk of recurrence of ovarian cancer is determined by the degree of development of the tumor process at which the woman began to receive the necessary treatment. If cancer treatment began at stages 3-4 of development, then relapse in this case is a pattern, not an accident.

Symptoms such as:

1. General malaise, gradually increasing;
2. Problems with intestinal patency;
3. Reduced performance and excessive fatigue;
4. Reducing the volume of urine excreted;
5. Intestinal disorders, diarrhea, belching or heartburn;
6. Bloating or feeling of heaviness;
7. Signs of rapidly developing ascites.

Symptoms may be mild, and relapses more often occur in the pelvic organs (in approximately 85% of patients), however, they occur in distant intraorganic structures.

Prevention

There is no specific prevention of ovarian cancer in women, because today there is no exact etiological picture of this disease. Therefore, oncologists consider regular gynecological examinations at least once every six months to be the best and most effective means of prevention.

Video about how ovarian cancer is treated:

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women. Out of every 100 thousand women, 70 are affected by this disease. No one is immune from this disease, and if this terrible diagnosis is made, then you need to make every effort to recover. Diet plays an important role in the treatment of the disease. Proper nutrition for ovarian cancer can speed up recovery.

It is necessary to adhere to certain dietary rules not only during the treatment period, but also after the end of the course of therapy. However, it should be borne in mind that chemotherapy and radiation may change the patient's dietary preferences. Nausea and vomiting are a frequent companion to these treatment methods and can cause aversion to food; as a result of changes in the sense of smell and taste, food seems tasteless, if not unpleasant. Therefore, nutrition for ovarian cancer should include simple foods, but nevertheless be varied.

• The basis of a balanced diet should be vegetables and fruits
• You should include in your diet foods high in protein, which helps restore damaged cells - cottage cheese, yogurt, lean meat, fish, poultry, legumes. The fatty acids present in fish inhibit the development of cancer cells.
• Meat should be consumed only of lean varieties, giving preference to chicken, veal, and rabbit. Moreover, portions should be in somewhat limited quantities.
• Dairy products
• Do not ignore cereals, cereals and whole grains
• The diet for ovarian cancer must contain leafy greens; It is believed that it can slow down tumor growth.
• A special role in the diet is given to seafood - the content of zinc and selenium in them helps prevent the development of tumors. Oysters, salmon, scallops, shrimp, seaweed, tuna - the choice of suitable products is quite large and preparing a tasty and healthy dish is not so difficult.

Products should be eaten raw or boiled; they can be steamed or baked without adding fat. However, there is one rule: you don’t need to add all kinds of seasonings or sauces to your food in order to “tweak” the taste of a boiled dish. Meals should be fractional. You should eat food often, but in small portions. If you are exhausted, you should choose more high-calorie foods.

In case of cancer, the following should be excluded from the diet:

• Products made from premium flour. Conventional yeast baking can easily replace products using baking powder, which have flooded domestic shelves.
• Products that contain preservatives, food additives, semi-finished products
• Fatty, spicy, salty and smoked dishes. You should also refrain from consuming rich broths.
• Coffee, strong tea, chocolate, confectionery, sweets
• Alcoholic drinks

Nutrition for all cancer diseases must be balanced and contain the required amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. However, you should limit products of animal origin; they can be replaced by fruits and vegetables that contain virtually no fat, but they contain phytochemicals that prevent the development of cancer. By replacing fatty and high-calorie dishes with plant-based products, you can make the menu more varied without reducing its volume.

Particular attention should be paid to the drinking regime. With age, a person stops consuming the amount of fluid that the body needs. Some explain this by forgetfulness, others by some other excuse. You should drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day. In addition to ordinary water, you can diversify your diet with compotes, freshly squeezed juices, milk drinks, and, in consultation with your doctor, you can take rosehip decoction. However, carbonated drinks should be avoided.

Today, the most effective treatment is surgery, after which the patient needs rehabilitation. One of the components of the recovery period is diet. Of course, not only patients in the postoperative period need a balanced diet. How many health problems could be avoided by adhering to the rules of a healthy diet throughout life, without waiting for the disease to arise.

Today, doctors confirm the fact that if you combine basic treatment with proper nutrition and time-tested natural remedies, recovery can be accelerated, even when it comes to cancer. Tumor processes that are localized in the female genital organs are considered as a single tumor disease. From this we can draw a very simple conclusion, according to which the diet for cervical cancer and the diet for ovarian cancer are no different.

Diet highlights for uterine cancer

The diet for cervical cancer suggests taking vegetables, berries and fruits that were grown in ecologically clean areas without the use of various chemical additives as the basis of the diet. Medical studies have shown that in the fight against the disease and to prevent it, you need to eat 4-5 servings of plant foods every day, which should not be processed, that is, fresh. Priority should be given to fruits with bright colors and leafy greens, as they can inhibit the development of tumor processes. Unfortunately, in many regions it is very difficult to comply with such rules, since in winter the diet can only be enriched with greenhouse or imported vegetables and fruits. Fortunately, there is a way out, since you can eat beets, cabbage, turnips, pumpkin and carrots, as their benefits last for a whole year until the next harvest.

Fish plays an important role in proper nutrition, as it is rich in fatty acids that inhibit the development of cancer. Meat products can only be used in low-fat varieties, but not too often. Low-fat fermented milk products will also help restore health. Sprouted grains and cereals should also be present in the diet. The products can be eaten boiled, raw, baked or steamed. The diet for cervical cancer can be supplemented with special herbal preparations, to prepare one of which you will need:

The raw materials must be taken in equal quantities and brew a spoonful of the finished mixture in a glass of boiling water and leave for an hour and a half. After this, the infusion must be filtered and taken half a spoon twice a day, two hours after a meal. You need to take this drug for one year.

Proper nutrition for uterine cancer

The diet for cervical and ovarian cancer suggests avoiding the consumption of the following foods and drinks:

• Smoked, fatty, spicy and highly salted foods
• Products containing artificial additives
• Confectionery products
• Chocolate and cocoa
• Semi-finished products
• Strong tea
• Alcohol

Salt and sugar intake should be seriously limited.

Sample diet menu for ovarian cancer

A diet for cervical and ovarian cancer may have a menu similar to this:

• Breakfast: fresh carrot juice
• Second breakfast: buckwheat porridge with a slice of day-old bread and a cup of green tea
• Lunch: soup with barley and vegetables, as well as a slice of day-old bread, stewed beets, homemade noodles and tea with milk.
• Dinner: cottage cheese casserole and avocado and green vegetable salad, as well as fresh juice
• Before bed: apple juice or kefir

A diet for cervical and ovarian cancer must be prepared with the help of the attending physician, since only he can give accurate recommendations.

is a common cancer pathology in women, the symptoms of which can be detected at an early stage. The high level of mortality in this disease is characterized by the latent formation of tumor processes in the female gonads.

Some patients who do not undergo regular instrumental examinations do not know about their disease until the cancer becomes irreversible.

Symptoms

Ovarian cancer has nonspecific symptoms that may be similar to other diseases (digestive system, bladder, etc.). Often, specialists make a false diagnosis due to similar symptoms, and cancer is detected at a late stage.

A feature of the pathology is the constant presence of certain symptoms or their gradual worsening.

How to detect ovarian cancer

The main signs of the disease include:

• flatulence;
• bloating and feeling of overeating;
• nausea;
• pain in the pelvic area and lower abdomen, discomfort;
• decreased appetite;
• increase in waist size;
• increased frequency of urination;
• persistent indigestion;
• sudden change in body weight;
• pain during sexual intercourse.

The main sign of a cancerous tumor is the identification of a rough tumor or a voluminous tubercle in the pelvic area. If the appendages are well palpated after menopause, cancer can also be detected.

Causes of pathology and its stages

Ovarian cancer can appear due to menstrual irregularities, infertility and genetic predisposition, hormonal disorders, and bad habits.

There are 4 stages of the disease:

1. at the first stage, unilateral damage to the ovary occurs;
2. during the second stage, both ovaries are damaged;
3. at stage 3, cancer spreads to the omentum;
4. at the last stage, neighboring organs become infected, and metastases spread throughout the body.

Principles of treatment and chemotherapy

The main areas of treatment include a combination of chemotherapy and surgery.

Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer is carried out in the presence of the following indications: all stages of ovarian cancer, confirmed cytologically and histologically. In this case, the general health status should not be more than 2 on the WHO activity scale.

Staging of ovarian cancer

Such treatment can be prescribed after surgery to remove the tumor to prevent relapses and the appearance of metastases; after partial removal of cancer on 3 and; after palliative therapy or before surgery (to increase its effectiveness).

After the operation, the patient undergoes 3 treatment courses immediately, after 2 months and after 3-4 months from completion of the 2nd course. Then, according to the specialist’s decision, the frequency of chemotherapy can be 6 months.

Regardless of the effectiveness of chemotherapy, such treatment has contraindications. These may be disorders of the liver and hematopoietic organs; the presence of severe concomitant diseases, the course of which may become complicated after chemotherapy; disorders of the nervous system and mental disorders. There are also contraindications to the use of certain drugs.

Side effects and complications

The main side effects after treatment are baldness, but hair growth gradually resumes. Patients may experience loose stools, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and lack of appetite due to the toxicity of many chemotherapy drugs. The blood may also change, the volume of leukocytes, hemoglobin and platelet levels may decrease.

The main complication of this treatment is inhibition of the circulatory system, the development of leukopenia and anemia. Kidney complications and kidney failure can often occur.

To avoid such complications, a woman should donate blood for kidney tests and undergo an ultrasound examination of the kidneys. To avoid abnormalities in the cardiovascular system, a heart cardiogram should be performed periodically. The patient should also control her weight and appetite.

You should also give up bad habits, consult a specialist if sexual diseases appear, eat right, protect yourself from radiation and X-rays, go to an oncologist and gynecologist for examination once every 6 months, and donate blood for tumor markers.

Features of nutrition after chemotherapy

During the disease and after its remission, physical activity and proper nutrition are important factors. If you eat well if you have ovarian cancer, your body will receive additional energy to fight the tumor and will recover faster after treatment and any side effects that occur.

But after the therapy, appetite decreases, and taste buds are also disrupted. Your diet after surgery should include healthy and simple foods.

To prevent the patient from suffering from exhaustion, lean meat, fish, eggs, milk and fermented milk products with bifidobacteria, whole grain dishes, fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, juices and light broths are added to the diet.

Sausage, fatty meat, flour products and hard-to-digest foods are excluded from the diet. You should give up bad habits (cigarettes and alcohol), black coffee and tea, and you should not drink water before meals.

Vegetables are also consumed raw or stewed. Broccoli cabbage with a high level of isothiocyanate, which destroys tumor growths, has a good effect.

In addition to protein foods, you need to consume foods containing a lot of carbohydrates. These include zucchini, buckwheat, rice, barley and millet porridge, parsley and onions (greens), any cabbage dishes, mushrooms and grain flakes.

Food should be eaten boiled or fresh, baked or steamed without fat. At the same time, sauces and seasonings should not be added to food to improve the taste of the boiled dish. You need to eat a balanced diet, adding the right amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates to your diet.

At the same time, restrictions are imposed on products of animal origin, which can be replaced with fruits and vegetables. Such products contain herbal substances that prevent the development of cancer. After replacing high-calorie and fatty foods with plant-based foods, you can diversify the menu without reducing its volume.

When completing chemotherapy, it is important to add seafood to your diet and eat about 200 grams of it every day. An important place is given to vegetable oil, which you need to consume about 2 tablespoons per day.

In addition to shrimp, you should add tuna, seaweed, scallops, salmon and oysters to your diet.

Additionally, the doctor prescribes a course of vitamins. As a drink, you can use vegetable and fruit juices, tea, water up to 2 liters per day in the absence of swelling. It is advisable to consume teas made from black currant, oregano, raspberries, and rose hips, which will remove toxins and increase immunity.

You need to eat fractionally and in small portions, which will increase the digestibility of food and allow beneficial elements to disperse throughout the body faster. With proper nutrition, side effects from chemotherapy will sharply decrease, and intestinal and stomach diseases will be prevented.

Nutrition for lymphoma after chemotherapy (Read in 6 minutes)	How to minimize the consequences after radiation for cancer (Read in 5 minutes)	Nutrition for prostate adenoma in men and after surgery (Read in 4 minutes)
Treatment of lung cancer with chemotherapy (Read in 6 minutes)

Although a disease such as cancer usually deprives a person of appetite, proper diet for ovarian cancer plays a significant role.

Nutrition during this period should be balanced and follow certain rules.

It is very important to make your diet as beneficial as possible for the body.

At this time, the body is intensively fighting cancer and trying to restore healthy cells that can be damaged by radiation and chemotherapy. All this deprives you of strength and appetite.

Healthy foods

Nutrition for ovarian cancer should be mostly vegetarian. The diet is based on plant products, although lean meats are acceptable.

Anything that contains a large amount of protein will benefit:

• ​ cottage cheese,
• ​ yogurt,
•  bird,
• ​ meat,
• ​ fish.

These products will restore damaged cells, and fish, due to its fatty acid content, will prevent the development of cancer.

For meat, you can eat lean varieties such as rabbit, chicken and veal. Eating whole grain cereals is beneficial; you should not ignore leafy greens, which also inhibit tumor growth.

Diet for ovarian cancer cannot do without seafood, sea fish and cabbage containing selenium and zinc, which also work as preventatives. They can be used to prepare delicious and healthy dishes.

The food is preferably consumed raw, but can be boiled, baked or steamed. It is not recommended to add fat to dishes. The same goes for seasoned spices.

You need to eat fractionally, eating small portions at regular intervals. If severe weight loss is observed, the calorie intake should be increased.

The drinking regime must be observed very carefully. Often we do not consume the amount of fluid that an adult requires. The norm is about 2 liters per day. In addition to plain water, you can drink compotes, freshly squeezed juices, milk drinks, and if the oncologist allows it, then rosehip decoction.

Prohibited Products

Having cancer, you should temporarily forget about the following products:

1 Products with premium wheat flour.

2 Products that contain food additives and preservatives, as well as various semi-finished products.

3 ​ Everything is fatty, salty and spicy. Rich broths should be excluded.

4 Alcohol, coffee, strong tea.

5 ​ Sweets, including chocolate.

Of course, a balanced diet plays a key role in the fight against ovarian cancer, but the amount of animal food consumed should be reduced.

It is better to increase the proportion of fresh fruits and vegetables, which have virtually no fat, but contain phytochemicals that prevent the development of cancer.

By consuming light, high-calorie meals with plant ingredients instead of fatty foods, you can significantly diversify your menu without reducing the amount of food you eat. As for drinking, in addition to alcohol, you should also exclude all carbonated drinks.

Example of a therapeutic diet

After surgery, which often accompanies the treatment of such diseases, there is a recovery period. It is now that it is so important to follow a special diet that will contribute to a speedy recovery.

The diet for ovarian cancer should contain as many fruits, greens and vegetables as possible, as well as grains.

Strict taboos apply to alcohol and tobacco. You should not get carried away with refined vegetable oils, as well as fatty meat.

From the following menus you can create a diet for the week.

Menu No. 1

• ​ Breakfast - orange juice and after half an hour an omelet, tea, black bread with butter.
•  Lunch – carrot and celery soup with black bread, salad with beets and prunes, compote.
•  Dinner – buckwheat, vegetable salad, green tea.
• ​ Before bed – milk.

Menu No. 2

• ​ Breakfast – fresh carrot and lemon juice, half an hour later, stewed zucchini, seasoned with carrots and onions, a slice of rye bread, chicory.
• ​ Lunch - soup with semolina and herbs, a piece of rye bread, zucchini cutlets, fish in foil, fruit or fruit jelly.
• ​ Dinner – salad with herbs and avocado, green tea.
•  Before bed – yogurt.

Menu No. 3

• ​ Breakfast – fresh grapefruit, half an hour later cabbage salad and tea.
• ​ Lunch - vegetable cabbage soup, a piece of bran bread, eggplant caviar, a piece of stewed turkey with apples and herbs, fruit or compote.
•  Dinner – rice with vegetables, casserole, compote.
• ​ Before going to bed - a glass of kefir.

Menu No. 4

• ​ Breakfast – fresh apples and 30 minutes later beans in tomato sauce, salad with green vegetables and tea.
•  Lunch – onion soup with a slice of black bread, salad with red cabbage and apples, vegetable salad with carrots and asparagus, fruit, water.
• ​ Dinner – millet porridge with milk, nuts, green tea.
• ​ Before going to bed - yogurt.

Menu No. 5

•  Breakfast – grape juice and later boiled potatoes with herbs and tea.
•  Lunch – vegetable soup, salad with cabbage and carrots, apple and celery salad, fruit, berry juice.
• ​ Dinner – stewed beet salad with nuts, a piece of black bread, green tea.
•  Before bed – yogurt.

Menu No. 6

Menu No. 7

• ​ Breakfast - fruit juice, later rice porridge with dried fruits, bran bread, chicory.
• ​ Lunch – tomato soup with basil, a piece of black bread, cottage cheese with herbs, baked chicken breast, fruit or jelly.
• ​ Dinner – steamed beans, blue beans stewed in tomato, green tea.
• ​ Before bed – kefir.

You can choose one or two from the proposed options for lunch. The menu itself can also be modified to your taste, the main thing is to adhere to the rules and recommendations described above. The therapy will become more effective and recovery will come faster.