Cancer

Cancer is the name given to a group of diseases that have in common the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells. In a normal organism, cells renew themselves in an orderly fashion, allowing tissues to repair themselves and grow harmoniously.

Cancer occurs when there is damage to the cell’s genetic material, leading to the appearance of mutations, which subsequently give rise to an uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells, which invade other tissues and do not die.

When diseased cells don’t die and continue to form, they accumulate into a mass that doesn’t work. This mass is called a tumor. This process can occur anywhere in the body.

It is important not to confuse tumor with cancer, where tumor is any abnormal mass, and cancer is a malignant tumor. It should be noted that some cancers do not form tumor masses.

Thus, there are two types of tumors:

• Benign:
  • is rarely life-threatening;
  • may grow in volume, but the cells do not spread throughout the body;
  • these types of tumors are not considered cancers;
• Malignant (cancer):
  • can put a person’s life at risk;
  • the cells of this type of tumor can invade and destroy the tissues of adjacent organs, thus spreading throughout the body, creating metastases.

In the majority of cases, the cancer develops without symptoms and symptoms only appear at a more advanced stage.

However, there are warning signs. So look out for the following symptoms:

• The appearance of lumps or constant stiffness in the breast or another part of the body;
• Abnormal bleeding or discharge;
• Wounds that won’t heal;
• Difficulty swallowing or permanent poor digestion;
• Hoarseness or persistent cough;
• Altered bowel or urinary habits;
• Changing the color and/or size of a sign.

Important:

• If you notice these or other symptoms, you should consult your doctor to determine their origin. Your doctor may ask you to carry out complementary diagnostic tests to help and guide you towards the necessary medical specialty.
• We advise you not to let the symptoms linger, as early diagnosis of cancer increases the likelihood of successful treatment exponentially.

It is known that 10% of the risk of cancer comes from genetics. In these cases, cancer is known as familial cancer. It happens when several genes in a group of cells mutate (these mutations occur in reproductive cells) and are passed on from parents to children. It can occur in several individuals in the same family.

However, there is also cancer caused by factors outside the body (acquired mutations).

These external factors increase the risk of developing cancer:

• Smoking;
• Ageing;
• Infections;
• Radiation;
• Immunosuppression;
• Hormonal exposure to estrogen;
• Eating habits;
• Alcohol;
• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Obesity;
• Exposure to chemical substances such as pesticides, arsenic and asbestos.

Nutrition plays an important role in this type of condition, and it is essential to intervene in conjunction with treatment with your doctor. Functional Nutrition can help in many ways, positively influencing the development of the disease, its symptoms, the response to therapy and recovery after treatment. The main focus is to improve your quality of life.

Our Functional Nutrition consultations take a patient-centered approach, where nutrition and lifestyle recommendations are discussed together, according to each individual’s clinical needs.

Although there is a great deal of nutritional information available in the media, unfortunately not all of it is based on solid scientific evidence, which makes it difficult to know what the best nutritional treatment is.

Nutritionists have the knowledge and professional skills to help translate evidence-based clinical research into practical guidance. This enables you to make positive diet and lifestyle choices, improving your health and well-being.

Nutritional monitoring in this context focuses on:

• Identify and minimize the symptoms associated with the disease/treatment: changes in taste, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, poor appetite and early satiety;
• Assess your current nutritional status and increaseyour nutrient intake. While having a good diet is recommended for everyone, for those with cancer, it’s especially vital to make sure you get a variety of nutrients in sufficient quantities.
• Evaluate the dietary pattern and the changes that have occurred;
• To help understand the evidence and clarify the myths surrounding food and cancer;
• Helping you plan a healthy diet after treatment, with the aim of reducing the risk of developing cancer in the future, regaining your strength and aiding your recovery;
• Helping you lose weight safely and sensibly after treatment;
• To help you regain your weight, if you have lost weight after a period of illness or following treatment;

If you’re a caregiver, we also help by giving reliable and practical advice to ensure that your loved one gets the right nutrition in their diet.