ALIMENTATION ET CANCER

Abstract

Cancer is a multi-factorial disease that has a major impact on daily life and on our usual landmarks. As one of the most important factors, diet can be the source of carcinogenic elements, just as it can play a role in the prevention and management of cancer by preserving the patient's physical and mental capacities, and thus his quality of life. The main aim of our study is to establish a guide for the nutritional management of cancer patients, but before doing so, we conducted a questionnaire survey of healthcare professionals and cancer patients to assess their knowledge of nutrition. Analysis of the results showed that healthcare professionals and a large proportion of cancer patients are aware that diet has an impact on the risk of developing the disease. However, not all the diets suggested during cancer treatment were adequate, hence the need for a comprehensive guide containing diets adapted to the type of cancer and treatment received, as well as nutritional recommendations for managing the adverse effects of treatment, which was the wish of all participants. The guide was first developed in the form of a small booklet and then adapted as a website, organized under five headings: food, cancers, interactions, adverse effects and recipes, in order to achieve comprehensive nutritional management of the cancer patient.