How do patients with mid- to late-stage pancreatic cancer obtain adequate nutrition?

When pancreatic cancer patients enter the middle and late stages of the tumor, the symptoms will be very obvious, with worsening pain in the left upper abdomen and obvious weight loss. The usual oral diet can no longer meet the body's metabolic needs. At this time, intravenous nutrition is required to improve the nutritional status of the whole body.

For patients who cannot have the lesions removed surgically, enterostomy can be used to address the overall nutritional status and give an elemental diet. During the elemental diet, care should be taken not to infuse too quickly and the temperature should not be too low, preferably around 42°C, in order to avoid adverse reactions such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc.

For patients who can undergo surgery, active measures should be taken to remove the lesions through surgery. Generally speaking, they are prohibited from eating and drinking within three days after surgery, and the body's nutritional needs are maintained through four-week intravenous nutrition and central venous nutrition. After the gas is exhausted, they can eat some oil-free full liquid food, such as rice soup, fruit juice, vegetable juice, etc. After the gastrointestinal tract gradually adapts, low-fat semi-liquid or low-fat ordinary food can be changed according to the condition.

For patients who can eat normally after surgery, they should often use foods that replenish qi and blood, strengthen the spleen and stomach, such as glutinous rice, red beans, broad beans, yam, wolfberry, mussels, figs, hazelnuts, milk, water chestnut powder, etc.

Of course, nutritious foods are essential, such as milk, fish, liver, egg white, pasta, fruit juice, vegetable juice, rice, etc.

Nutrition is extremely important for every pancreatic cancer patient, especially for patients in the middle and late stages. It is particularly important to obtain adequate nutrition. Only sufficient nutrition can ensure the body's ability to fight the disease.