Nutrition in Pancreatic Cancer

Dr. Michael Pishvaian discusses the various nutritional issues that can be present in many pancreatic cancer patients. A nutritionist can help develop a plan to reduce digestive complaints caused by pancreatic cancer, including diet changes or the introduction of the prescription pancreatic enzyme drug called CREON.
More videos: https://ruesch.georgetown.edu/rueschreels

Transcript:
I want to address nutrition for patients with pancreatic cancer. The pancreas sits in a very delicate place in the abdomen, and actually, the pancreas is critical for releasing enzymes into the intestinal tract to help digest food, so it's not surprising at all that patients with pancreatic cancer have significant digestive and nutritional issues, including frequent abdominal discomfort, bloating, g****iness, diarrhea. These are all symptoms of the tumor itself compressing the pancreatic duct, preventing the juices from flowing into the intestine. There are also symptoms of the pancreas tumor sitting on some critical blood vessels and some critical nerve endings within the abdomen.

It's been my practice to really incorporate our nutritionist to help us manage the nutrition for patients of pancreatic cancer. It's very important that patients keep their calories up, which is often much, much easier said than done because patients don't feel like eating, the chemotherapy makes their food taste bad. Even the cancer itself, even without the chemotherapy, can make their food taste bad as well. Coaching patients through the idea of trying to decide which foods work best for them is often very important.

I have had patients tell me that ****y foods are the only thing they can tolerate, and I've had other patients tell me that they can't stand ****y foods, and only salty foods or sugary foods are what they can tolerate. What I would advise is that find what works best for you allows you to keep your calories up high enough, and if it's available to you to try and meet with a nutritionist to try and discuss what other options are out there.

One thing that is specific, and it's a medication, but there's a medication called CREON, or there are other versions of CREON. What this drug is, it's synthetic pancreatic enzymes that are taken with the meal and basically are replacing the body's ability to release the pancreatic enzymes in the intestine. These ingested enzymes help to break down food so that it doesn't lead to the diarrhea and the bloating that a pancreatic cancer patient cl****ically get.

Now, these drugs are not necessarily effective for all patients, but I have had some patients benefit dramatically, so it's certainly worth trying.

• Category

  Diet