Final Project - Projet Technique et Scientifique. A brief introduction to cancer; some major guidelines that may help fighting back cancer and an international questionnaire to assess general perception of oncologic diseases. Sorbonne Université - 5th Year - 1st Semester - Master Biologie Intégrative et Physiologie.

1. Aliments Anti-Cancer
5BQ01 Projet Technique et Scientifique
RITA Luís | 3702256

2. Introduction
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040
Nr.PublishedArticlesBetween1911-
2018
Time
Nr. Published Articles: Nutrition Cancer
Figure 1 – Graph showing the exponential growth of the number of published articles
regarding the theme nutrition in cancer. [1]
Heart
Diseases
31%
Cancer
30%
Chronic Lower Respiratory
Diseases
8%
Top 10 Causes of Death US - CDC
Heart Diseases Cancer
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases Accidents (Unintentional Injuries)
Stroke Alzheimer's Disease
Diabetes Influenza (Flu) & Pneumonia
Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome and Nephrosis Suicide

3. Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer (Before,
During & After Treatment)
Increase long term survival and diminished cancer
recurrences.
Big variety of symptoms and
outcomes of cancer treatment;
Oncology nurses should be well-positioned to
oversee patients’ nutritional needs and, if
necessary, to facilitate referrals to dietitians.
Persuade patients in the direction of a
controlled diet and active lifestyle.
1st Cancer Nutrition Guidelines
2003
High demand for information about cancer and ways to relief its symptoms driven this release.

4. Weigth Loss/Gain
Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer (Before, During & After Treatment)
Active Treatment
Aliments to Avoid
It was thought that starvation would deprive growing
tumor of needed nutrition… Not true! Human body
needs enough calories to face the high nutritional
demand of someone under therapy;
It’s possible to maintain an healthy weight in the
majority of times.
Processed meat should be avoided. And the consumption of red
meat limited to 500 g/week.
Salt and sugar shouldn’t be included in an healthy diet. Being
the last one well-known for increasing oncogenic potency.

5. Safety Preparing Food
Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer (Before, During & After Treatment)
Active Treatment
Antioxidants
Completely cook and wash every aliment;
Cook at low temperatures;
Choose pasteurized and other sterelization related
methods;
Cleaned cooking place.
Oxidation reactions play a crutial role in cancer therapy, once
they destroy cancer cells;
On the other hand, protect the healthy ones;
Recommendation is not to exceed upper intake limits (e.g. – by
taking supplements).

6. Dietary Supplements
Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer (Before, During & After Treatment)
Active Treatment
Alcohol Use
Several cancer patients’ dietary supplements are often
used to fulfil DRI of many organic (vitamins) and non-
organic molecules (calcium, minerals);
There is little evidence that they contribute to improve
the health of vulnerable population;
Daily needs should be met through food and not
supplements.
Cardio-protective effect;
Hepatotoxicity may be induced by some chemotherapeutical
agents;
Increased probability of oncologic disease (mainly, along the
digestive tube).

7. Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer Patients (Before, During & After)
Recovery Phase
Improvement of several nutritional and muscular debilities
resulted from cancer therapy.
Related Problems: Dysphagia Xerostomia Malabsorption

8. Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer Patients (Before, During & After)
Health Maintenance Phase
Diet rich in fats and poor in fruits and vegetables may
increase the chances of developing breast and prostate
cancers.
The set of guidelines defined in the active treatment phase
are also valid during this stage. Highlighting now for the
role of antioxidants in cancer recurrence prevention.

9. Guidelines in Nutrition – Cancer Patients (Before, During & After)
Palliative Care
Palliative Care Definition
It’s an approach that aims to improve
the quality of life of patients and their
families who are living with a life-
threatening illness through the
prevention and relief of suffering, early
identification and relief of pain and
other distressing symptoms, using a
holistic approach focusing on physical,
psychosocial and spiritual aspects.
Cancer Cachexia
Precachexia
Cachexia
Refractory Cachexia
Even w/ an adequate nutrition support, it’s
not enough to suppress the needs of the
patient.
Enteral Feeding
Oral Nutrition
Parental Nutrition
Help overcoming nutritional deficits.

10. Questionnaire
Population Identification
24%
10%
0% 1% 2%
0% 1%
44%
16%
1% 1% 1% 1% 0%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Portugal France Netherlands Belgium Italy Argentina S.Tomé
Country and Sex
Male Female
2%
48%
18%
4%
6%
21%
Age
<18
18-23
24-30
31-40
41-50
>51
Nr. answers: 165
7 different countries
Portugal and France are the most represented
Majority of answers were given by women (62%)
Age range more represented: 18 - 23

11. Questionnaire
3%
97%
What's Cancer?
Condition exclusively caused by
microorganisms.
Uncontrolled cell growth & proliferation.
Contagious disease.
1%
2%
7% 7%
20%
22% 22%
16%
1%
3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How random do you think cancer incidence is?
People are well informed regarding the disease
People believe cancer as a greater deterministic
incidence than random.

12. Questionnaire
21%
52%
27%
How close is it from a chronic disease?
Far
Medium
Close
Phillips JL and Currow DC, in 2010, in their article Cancer as a chronic
disease:
“Many cancer survivors end up with long term disabilities requiring
ongoing care and support. For many people, cancer survival now means
living with a chronic and complex condition.” [61]
Majority believe cancer is in an intermediate place between chronic
and non-chronic disease;
Breast cancer has a high rate of survival and normally the survivors can
have a normal life after treatment;
2nd most chosen answer was that cancer was close to a chronic
disease. It shows there is a good percentage of the population that
understands the after effects of cancer, and assumes it cancer as a
chronic disease.

13. Questionnaire
11%
23%
37%
2%
28%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Weight
Exercise
Nutrition
Social Integration
Smoking & Drinking Alcohol
Most important factors in cancer prevention
Nutrition was the answer with the highest %, making us
believe that people are aware of the importance of this
topic.
Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that the
participants are aware that they are answering a quiz
regarding nutrition and this could influence the choice.
TOP 3: 1. Nutrition 2. Smoking & Drinking Alcohol 3. Exercise

14. Questionnaire
21%
22%
58%
What is the cheaper diet?
Healthy Diet
+- Same
Unhealthy Diet
2%
77%
6%
15%
Healthier Diet
Fast-food
Mediterranean
Vegan
Vegetarian
Unhealthy diet is the option with bigger %;
A study conducted in the United States in 2010 states that many
nutritionists believe that it is possible to have a cheap healthy diet; [62]
They explore the topic that, when the income of the family decreases,
healthy aliments, such as vegetables or whole grains, stop to be
purchased by the family due to their price.
For the same amount of money you can
acquire both a healthy and unhealthy meal,
but the attractiveness in the unhealthy meals
is the easy and fast way to prepare it.
Mediterranean diet, the expected answer, since this diet is
considered one of the healthiest ones as said above.

15. Questionnaire
42%
21%
18% 19%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Yes No
Do you trust in Bio stamps in the
packages?
Female Male
It has become a trend to start eating more organic food, and take into
consideration the Bio Stamps in the aliments believing that it might
decrease the incidence of cancer.
Men had a similar percentage of yes and no answers, while women had
a big difference, being the majority of responses yes and by this
considering that women are more concerned with eating organic food.
Majority trust in Bio stamps in the packages (60%);
2%
12%
0%
16%
20% 21%
7%
0%
19%
3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Red
M
eatW
hiteM
eat
Processed
M
eat
Fish
FruitsV
egetables
Eggs,M
ilk
and
Cheese
A
lcohol
W
ater
N
utrientSupplem
ents
What should you include in your diet (to
prevent cancer, generally)?
Ranking:
1. Vegetables;
2. Fruits;
3. Water;
4. Fish.

16. Questionnaire
17%
53%
28%
2%
Is it possible to avoid subnutrition while
undergoing cancer therapy?
Always
Most of Times
Rarely
Never
53%
19%
25%
1%
1%
1% 1% 1%
Which one would you choose?
Fish
Meat
Salad
Rice and beans
Bread, butter, eggs
Choice is quite amibiguos here..Aliments with no ogm/pesticides... If animals: animals with good care/treatment. Non industrial chain. If fish: wild fish. Non industrial fishing + more criterias...
Lasagna
Balanced Vegetarian diet, with proteins, for example
53%
19%
25%
1%
1%
1% 1% 1%
Which one would you choose?
Fish
Meat
Salad
Rice and beans
Bread, butter, eggs
Choice is quite amibiguos here..Aliments with no ogm/pesticides... If animals: animals with good care/treatment. Non industrial chain. If fish: wild fish. Non industrial fishing + more criterias...
Lasagna
Balanced Vegetarian diet, with proteins, for example
A French trial conducted by Pressoir et al. [64] it was shown that
malnutrition during cancer treatments is related to the hospitalization
time of the patient.
It is possible to avoid malnutrition during cancer
treatment as long as the doctors and nurses are careful
and are attentive to the patient index of malnutrition
development.
Fish was the meal that most people chose to achieve both a tasty and healthy
diet.