Tube feeding techniques and nutritional supplements in cancer care: Review

There is a link between cancer and an increased risk of both morbidity and mortality. Cancer patients particularly those with complications such as Cricopharyngeal cancer, Breast cancer with diabetes, Stomach cancer with renal failure, Cervix cancer with asthma and Endometrium cancer with hypertension and hypothyroidism face specific challenges in maintaining adequate nutrition due to various factors such as lack of knowledge about the condition being faced, its dietary management, financial constraints on overall therapy, and access to quality supplements. Pre- and post-operative nutrition plays a crucial role in cancer care because it can delay recovery, exacerbate side effects from treatments, and weaken the immune system. Recently, breast cancer has become the leading type of cancer among women in India. Surprisingly, many educated women from urban areas are still unaware of its causes and signs. Dietary management mainly focuses on tailored diet meeting daily nutritional needs such as adequate calorie requirements, high quality protein, micronutrient needs, functional foods such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer foods. To speed up recovery and overcome therapy's side effects, tube feeding and nutritional supplements are essential. This review focuses on the need for future advancements in hospital diet and care provided to cancer patients, particularly those with complications. It also highlights the importance of advancements in tube feeding techniques, vegetarian-friendly diets, affordable homemade nutritional supplements for cancer patients in specific needs and overall provision of affordable cancer care across hospitals.