Nutrition during and after cancer treatment: a guide for informed choices by cancer survivors

Many studies have been conducted about dietary interventions aimed at preventing cancer. The American Cancer Society has published guidelines on diet, nutrition and cancer prevention, which are updated periodically as new evidence emerges, and other groups, too, have issued statements or guidelines about nutritional strategies to prevent cancer. Much less is known, however, about optimal nutrition for cancer survivors. This report looks at the different phases of cancer survivorship, from active treatment to advanced disease, and presents existing evidence from which informed decisions can be made regarding dietary choices. Popular complementary and alternative methods related to dietary intervention are reviewed. Nutrition information is also provided according to common cancer sites. As this is an area that requires survivors and health care providers to communicate effectively, a special section on "frequently asked questions" is provided for use as a patient education handout.