Can breast cancer patients take statins?

Diana ArteneOncology Nutrition

oncology-nutrition-breast-cancer-patients-statins

After breast surgery ± chemotherapy and radiotherapy, ER+ breast cancer patients start antiestrogenic treatment. Some of these patients – either as a side effect of the antiestrogenic treatment, or also because of the eating beahaviour and  sedentariness – develop hypercholesterolemia. And hypercholesterolemia can be treated with statins (cholesterol lowering medication). Among other side effects reported by patients during antiestrogenic treatment, … Read More

What does it mean to be cured of cancer?

Diana ArteneOncology Nutrition

cancer-cure-nutrition

In the virtual space, various pseudo-oncological cancer therapies are promoted on the basis of examples such as “I know X or Y who followed intermittent fasting, or a ketogenic diet, or who has eliminated the animal protein altogether, or who used alkaline water, who took this mushrooms or that miracle powder and cancer has vanished”. Although the word „cancer“ covers … Read More

Vitamin C for cancer patients?

Diana ArteneOncology Nutrition

lemon-vitamin-c-cancer-patients

Although we have insufficient scientific arguments to sustain the fact that vitamin C administration improve cancer patients’ survival (Jacobs et al., 2015) – the idea that free radicals (reactive oxygen species = ROS) cause cancer is as popular as the idea that antioxidants are beneficial for cancer patients. But the intracytoplasmic ROS level determines whether the cell progresses in the cell replication … Read More

Don’t worry = No sugar?

Diana ArteneHealthy Eating, Nutrition for Weight Loss

artificial-sweeteners-or-sugar-nutrition

In consensus with the industries that produce chronic dieters, the 2013 analysis done by Shankar argues that we don’t have sufficient evidence either to recommend nor to not recommend artificial sweeteners (1). Some research shows that the use of artificial sweeteners is associated with a modest weight loss (2). Other research shows that the use of artificial sweeteners is associated with … Read More

2 weight gain mechanisms during breast cancer chemotherapy

Diana ArteneOncology Nutrition

weight-gain-mechanisms-during-breast-cancer-chemotherapy

Statistically speaking, patients who maintain their weight during breast cancer treatment have the best prognostic. Most of the weight gain happens during chemotherapy when many breast cancer patients either eat too little because of the decreased appetite or too much in an attempt to cope with the treatment. There are 2 main mechanisms behind this weight: decreased metabolism and decreased … Read More

Why should overweight and obese breast cancer patients lose weight?

Diana ArteneOncology Nutrition

breast-cancer-nutrition

– Have you been diagnosed with breast cancer? Here is why you should lose weight if you were overweight or obese before diagnosis, or if you gained weight during breast cancer treatment: a) Obesity decreases breast cancer treatment efficacy: Triple negative patients without positive lymph nodes have a worst prognosis than normal weight patients.  – Bonsang-Kitzis si colab., 2015 Obesity decreases ER+/PR±/HER2+ breast … Read More