Nutrition’s Vital Role in Cancer Treatment

BSA Harrington Cancer Center offers every patient access to personalized nutrition services to help them stay well-nourished. Proper nutrition is an important part of cancer treatment, according to Whitney Warminski, RD, CSO, LD. Warminski specializes in oncology nutrition at BSA Harrington Cancer Center.

“Good nutrition improves quality of life,” Warminski explained. “Patients who have a good nutrition status during cancer treatments tend to have fewer complications and experience less toxicities from treatment.”

Depending on a patient’s needs, Warminski will formulate an individualized nutrition plan to help them maintain or even improve their nutrition status in preparation for treatment. A patient’s nutritional needs may vary depending on their cancer type and treatment plan. Treatments may involve radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biological immunotherapy and/or surgery.

“We already know that cancer can affect appetite. We see a lot of issues with taste changes,” said Warminski. “We work with patients on food that they find appealing and tolerable, and really encourage them to change their eating patterns to get more nutrition in over time.”

Warminski provides patients with simple tips and tricks to enhance the palate ability of the food they are eating.

“We encourage patients to try things that they might not normally like because they might like it now since their taste has changed from cancer treatment,” Warminski shared. “We try to provide ideas that they haven’t thought of before to help them eat better.”

Warminski also works with each patient’s support system.

“I am always available to answer any nutrition questions or concerns for a patient’s loved ones to make sure everyone is on the same page and that everyone has the same nutrition goals.”

For more information on nutrition services offered at BSA Harrington Cancer Center, please call (806)-212-1990. To learn more about BSA Harrington Cancer Center, click here.