Hi everyone. Recently diagnosed with stage 3b melanoma and had my first treatment of keytruda last week. Like everyone else I want to do everything right so that I respond well to keytruda. Can anyone help and let me know whether drinking decaffeinated green tea with ginger can negatively impact my body's respone? Thank you.
Hi Seanloveslexi,
My name is Matthew, and I work as part of the Online Community Team. We're the team who work on supporting the Online Community to make sure it stays safe and working well.
I am sorry to read about your diagnosis, but it is positive news that you have started your course of treatment.
Because you're asking for advice on how your treatment might be impacted by diet, I have moved your question over to our Ask a Nurse forum. One of our qualified Cancer Information Nurse Specialists will be best placed to provide you with advice on your medical query.
A Cancer Information Nurse Specialist will aim to reply to your question within the next 1 to 3 working days.
If you need support with anything else in the meantime, please don’t forget you can always call our Macmillan Support Line teams. They’re available from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, on freephone 0808 808 00 00, by email, or via live webchat.
All the best,
Matthew
Macmillan Online Community Team
Dear Seanloveslexi,
My name is Liz and I’m a Cancer Information Nurse Specialist on the Macmillan Support Line
Thank you for reaching out for information about drinking decaffeinated green tea with ginger whilst having Keytruda/pembrolizumab for 3b melanoma.
As Macmillan is not part of the NHS, we don’t have access to your medical notes. For this reason, your treatment team are better placed to answer specific questions about how any medication or foods could impact or interact with your treatment.
At Macmillan we would recommend following a healthy, balanced diet and keeping active during cancer treatment.
There is some research that “people who ate the most fibre and didn’t use probiotics had the best responses to immunotherapy” also there is research on the benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet for some people on treatment for melanoma.
This would be interesting research to discuss with your clinical nurse specialist or consultant as well as your concerns about decaffeinated green tea with ginger.
Take care.
Liz
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. Ref LZD/ KHa
