Fuel for the fight

Dietitian, Meagan Atcheson, highlights the power of nutritional support in cancer care.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Why nutrition matters during and after treatment

When facing a cancer diagnosis, treatment often becomes the central focus—whether it’s chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, or a combination. But one vital aspect of care that sometimes gets overlooked is nutrition. What you eat and how well you are nourished can play a significant role not only in how your body copes with treatment but also in recovery and quality of life afterwards.

The impact of cancer and treatments on nutrition

Cancer and its treatments can put your body under immense stress. Many patients experience unintentional weight loss, fatigue, changes in appetite, or side effects, such as nausea, altered taste, or difficulty swallowing. These challenges often make it difficult to consume enough food to meet your body’s needs.

At the same time, your body requires more energy, protein, and nutrients than usual to repair tissue, support the immune system, and maintain muscle strength.

If nutritional needs aren’t met, you are at risk of malnutrition, a condition that can weaken immunity, reduce tolerance to treatment, delay healing, and negatively affect overall well-being.

Why nutritional support is vital

Good nutrition during cancer is about more than kilojoules. It’s about giving your body the right balance of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to cope with the physical demands of treatment.

Maintaining strength and energy: Protein is especially important during cancer care. It supports muscle mass, aids recovery after surgery, and helps the immune system function optimally.

Improving tolerance to treatment: Patients who are well-nourished often experience fewer complications, respond better to therapies, and have fewer interruptions in their treatment schedules.

Supporting immunity: Overall nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, omega 3s, and iron help the immune system fight infections, which is particularly important when white blood cell counts are low.

Enhancing quality of life: When patients are nourished, they often feel more energetic, recover quicker, and can better enjoy daily activities with their loved ones.

After treatment: nutrition for recovery and beyond

Nutrition remains important after treatment ends. Many survivors find they need extra support to rebuild strength, restore a healthy weight, and heal from side effects that linger.

A balanced diet helps reduce fatigue, improve digestive health, and support long-term well-being.

For some, there may also be specific concerns, such as osteoporosis, heart health, or maintaining a healthy body weight. Good nutrition after cancer doesn’t only focus on recovery, it plays a role in reducing the risk of recurrence and protecting against other chronic diseases.

When food alone isn’t enough

While the goal is always to encourage a healthy, balanced diet, there are times when food alone simply isn’t enough to meet nutritional needs. Side effects of treatment, reduced appetite, or difficulty eating can make it challenging to get adequate kilojoules and protein from meals.

In these cases, additional nutritional support can be valuable. Options, such as fortified foods, shakes, or specialised nutritional products, can help bridge the gap, prevent malnutrition, and give your body the best chance to cope with treatment and recovery.

Taking nutrition seriously

Nutrition should never be an afterthought in cancer care; it’s a core part of treatment and survivorship.

Oncologists, dietitians, nurses, and patients all benefit when nutrition is prioritised from the very beginning of the cancer journey. By addressing nutritional needs early and proactively, we can improve outcomes, reduce complications, and enhance quality of life both during and after treatment.

Cancer treatment is a fight on many levels—but with the right nutritional support, your body has the fuel it needs to stay strong, resilient, and ready for healing.