Diet while on chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Hello LaRive,

Thanks for getting in touch. My name is Helen, I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.

I see you have also joined Macmillan’s cervical cancer forum and hope you are finding the group supportive and helpful.

LaRive, it is difficult to give you very particular advice on your diet as I am not sure what chemotherapy you are having. Also, we may have different advice and guidance in the UK than in Spain, so do bear that in mind with the following information. 

Most people having cancer treatment will not need to change their diet. But when someone’s treatment is going to cause them to be particularly immunosuppressed – that means the white cells which protect against infection are very low for a period of time - certain foods might be best avoided.  

Lemons contain Vitamin C, but sometimes chemotherapy drugs may cause a sore mouth and patients may want to avoid lemons and other citrus fruits because the acidity can be painful or irritating to the mouth. It’s also worth mentioning that grapefruit and Seville oranges can interact with some chemotherapy drugs.

If you are able to speak to your chemotherapy nurses, they would be able to give you specific advice related to your treatment so that you can be as well informed as possible, and also that you aren’t excluding important foods from your diet if you don’t need to.

You have mentioned having constipation and also that you expect to feel sick and have diarrhoea with your chemo and radiotherapy. Our information on managing the side-effects of treatment may be helpful for you. The Instituto Nacional del Cáncer also has advice on managing common side effects.

I hope this information is useful and we wish you all the best for your treatment.

Best wishes, Helen

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

Ref/HM/HK