Food Insecurity and Cancer Patients

Cancer and cancer care can take a heavy toll on the body, and getting proper nutrition and eating healthy foods can support both treatment and recovery. However, the extra burdens of cancer care can mean less time and money to purchase or prepare nutritious and healthy meals. Across the United States, 17 to 55 percent of cancer patients are affected by food insecurity, when a person cannot easily and regularly access high-quality food.

Finding Help for Food Insecurity

Because a nutritious diet is essential to maintain health, connecting to resources and support is an important part of cancer treatment and survivorship care. Texas Oncology patients can use findhelp, America’s leading social care network, to connect with resources, including financial assistance, transportation to your appointments, food pantries, childcare, services, and more. Search at usoncology.findhelp.com to connect with resources in your community.

Patients should also speak with their cancer care teams about getting support. Many practices like Texas Oncology have nutritionists, social workers, and financial counsellors on staff, as well as programs that can help pay for pharmacy products or medications.

Food Insecurity Affects Health

For patients, food insecurity can stem from several factors.

• Limited access, like having few grocery stores nearby or challenges in reaching stores.
• Financial strain, including extra copays and travel expenses for cancer care.
• Physical barriers, such as difficulty finding and preparing healthy recipes, low energy to stand and cook, or trouble using utensils.

Access to nutritious food and a healthy diet can impact a person’s risk factors for health issues, as well as their outcomes. For patients with cancer, this may include:

Issues with Side Effects

Food choices can help reduce the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. For patients experiencing weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, or other symptoms related to eating and digestion, it can be important to pick the right foods and prepare them in a specific way. Similarly, when patients don’t meet their dietary needs, side effects can be worse.

Issues with Treatment

When patients don’t have access to affordable food, it can be harder to make treatment a priority or to afford prescription medications. Nutrition can also affect other conditions that make cancer treatment more complicated, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Issues with Recovery

Adequate nutrition is an important part of staying healthy after cancer treatment. Making up missed time at work, paying medical bills, or trying to regain physical mobility can all make it hard to eat healthy. Societal and policy issues can also make it harder for members of certain communities — influenced by factors such as race, ethnicity, location, income, and disability — to maintain income and access to food.

Regardless of the reason for food insecurity, patients should speak with their care team about any challenges they face. Regardless of the reason for food insecurity, patients should speak with their care team about challenges they face. The cancer care team can address side effects, support medication affordability, and help obtain access to available resources.