Nutrition services at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center believe that eating well is about nourishing the body as well as the spirit. It is a lifestyle choice that can help your body move towards its goal of optimal health. We work closely with you to understand your cancer diagnosis, treatment plans, needs, and goals related to nutrition and diet, as well as help craft your customized nutrition plan during and after cancer treatment.

Maintaining optimal nutrition during and after cancer treatment can help:

• Improve your body’s ability to fight infection
• Improve your recovery and healing after treatment
• Improve your body’s tolerance of treatment
• Maintain or improve your quality of life
• Maintain or improve your strength and energy level
• Prevent or correct malnutrition
• Prevent wasting of lean body mass
• Reduce nutrition-related side effects and complications

Our staff has a combined 55+ years of experience in addressing the nutritional concerns of people with cancer. Two of our staff members are founding members of the oncology practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

When to Seek Nutritional Support

If you are undergoing or have undergone cancer treatment at Sylvester and have questions or concerns about nutrition, you can ask your doctor for a referral to our nutrition team.

If you have one of the following symptoms or conditions, you might benefit from a referral to nutrition services:

• Chronic condition, such as chronic kidney disease or diabetes
• Decreased appetite
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing food
• Overweight or obese
• Underweight
• Unintentional weight loss

Certain factors can increase your risk of malnutrition. If you have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, or metastatic cancer, you may be at a higher nutritional risk. If you have had a lengthy hospital stay and have unintentionally lost weight, you might also be at increased risk. Speak with your doctor about any concerns you may have.

Nutrition Services We Provide

We provide individualized nutrition assessment and counseling for:

• Community classes and group counseling
• Disease-specific nutritional issues
• Food safety education
• Meal planning
• Nutritional complications as a result of treatment
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Oral-fluid and electrolyte requirements
• Weight management

We also offer the following specialized types of treatment:

• Assessment and recommendations for specialized routes of nutrition support, including tube feeding and intravenous (through an IV) nutrition
• Food safety education
• Head and Neck Cancer: Supplying Fuel for the Fight classes
• Take Control: Fighting Cancer with Food monthly nutrition classes

We also offer assessment and recommendations for specialized routes of nutrition support, including tube feeding and parenteral (through an IV) nutrition.