2023-07-06 14:58:00
“Immunonutrition for cancer patients involves supplementation with a specific substance based on arginine, Omega 3 and RNA (immunonutrients) which help the immune response. Therefore, above all, in cases where radiotherapy is combined with chemotherapy, immunonutrition is essential to favor a better response and better tolerance to treatment”. Isacco Desideri, researcher at the University of Florence and medical director of the Radiotherapy Unit of the Careggi university hospital, explains to time.news Salute the importance of nutrition in oncology since malnutrition is a common condition in these patients which is usually associated with functional limitations, as well as an increase in morbidity and mortality According to a survey carried out by the young sections of Aiom Italian Association of Medical Oncology, Airo Italian Association of radiotherapy and clinical oncology, and Sico, the Italian Society of Oncological Surgery, 80% of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition and less than 30% receive adequate treatment.
“For oncological patients undergoing combined treatments of radiotherapy and chemotherapy – underlines Desideri who is also the referent of the young section of Airo – the importance of immunonutrition is particularly relevant following what are precisely the immunosuppressant effects linked extrinsically to these types of treatment. Not only is nutrition from a caloric point of view essential, but also an immunonutritional diet is certainly capable of assisting the efficacy and tolerance of these treatments which can sometimes be particularly toxic”.
Supplementation “takes place orally with specific nutrients that are based on various substances, the most relevant being amino acids such as arginine, Omega 3 and also vitamin A-based immunonutrients. The data in the literature are comforting, they certainly demonstrate better treatment adherence and better efficacy,” he concludes.
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