Is a diet change necessary during lung cancer chemo at 70?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am asking about my mother, who is 70 years old, and recently started chemotherapy for lung cancer. She already has a low appetite and has lost some weight even before treatment. Now, after chemo, she feels nauseous, and food tastes strange. Family members keep giving different diet advice, which is confusing.

Is a diet change necessary during lung cancer chemo at 70?
Should she force herself to eat more protein or calories even if her appetite is poor?
Are there foods that should be avoided during chemo?

We don’t want to do anything wrong that affects treatment or makes side effects worse.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com

I read your query and understand your concern.

Loss of appetite and nausea are very common during chemotherapy, especially in older patients. Many patients also notice that food tastes different or metallic for some time after treatment. So what your mother is experiencing is something we see quite often during lung cancer chemotherapy.

Diet does not need to be extremely strict, but maintaining adequate nutrition is important because the body needs energy and protein to recover from treatment. When appetite is low, it is usually better to encourage small, frequent meals rather than forcing large meals. In my experience, many patients tolerate lighter foods such as soups, soft rice, yogurt, eggs, fruits, or simple home-cooked meals better than heavy or oily foods.

Protein is helpful for recovery, but it does not have to be forced aggressively. Foods like eggs, dal, paneer, yogurt, milk, fish, or chicken can provide protein in smaller portions throughout the day. Sometimes nutritional supplements or protein drinks can help if regular food intake is poor, but these should be discussed with the treating doctor.

When nausea is present, patients often tolerate bland foods and cooler foods better than strong-smelling or spicy dishes. Dry foods like toast, crackers, or simple biscuits sometimes help settle the stomach. Adequate fluids are also important to prevent dehydration.

During chemotherapy, we usually advise avoiding raw or undercooked foods, street food, unpasteurized dairy, or poorly washed fruits and vegetables, because immunity can be lower and infection risk is slightly higher. Otherwise, most normal home-cooked foods are safe.

Even if the appetite is reduced for a few days after chemotherapy, it often improves gradually before the next cycle. If nausea becomes severe or she is unable to eat at all, the oncology team can prescribe medications that help control these symptoms.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.