Explain Nutritional Support Management for radiation therapy?
For managing these patients on radiation therapy, the following measures can be under taken:
1. Administration of broad spectrum of antibiotics for bacterial overgrowth.
2. Diet low in fat and lactose.
3. Antidiarrhoea medications and anticholinergic and antispasmodic preparations,
Diet therapy can play a major role in controlling symptoms and assuring adequate nutrition. In addition, enteral and parenteral nutrition can be used in severe cases. Enters feedings with solutions containing amino acids or partially digested protein and very low fat content can be given. Studies have indicated that those patients who received only such feeding during RT show less diarrhoea and weight loss. Though this type of feedings is useful, there are some practical difficulties. Therefore, it is advisable to use such enteral feedings for oily those patients who develop severe/ acute toxicity. Total parenteral feedings should be reserved only for those patients malnourished before starting a course of RT.