What foods should not be eaten with lung cancer?

Written by Hu Zhong Dong
Medical Oncology
Updated on January 21, 2025
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Lung cancer patients definitely should not smoke. Many lung cancer cases are caused by smoking, and if a patient quits smoking after the onset of the disease, their prognosis is much better compared to those who continue smoking. Additionally, there is advice to avoid certain so-called trigger foods. For cancer patients, the recommended meats are fish and poultry. This recommendation is not really due to the issue of trigger foods but because fish and poultry are easier to digest and absorb. During cancer treatment, the tumor itself causes a significant breakdown of proteins in the body. Since proteins are a fundamental basis for bodily functions, without them, human survival would be nearly impossible. Therefore, it is essential to replenish proteins. The main sources of protein include meat, eggs, dairy products, soy products, and nuts, which are all crucial sources of protein.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Does early-stage lung cancer cause facial swelling?

Patients with early-stage lung cancer generally do not experience facial swelling. This is because early-stage lung cancers mainly include carcinoma in situ and stage I lung cancer. At this stage, the cancer tissue is confined to the mucosa, without invasion of the surrounding tissues or distant metastasis. Therefore, the clinical symptoms of patients with early-stage lung cancer primarily involve the respiratory system. Clinical symptoms mainly include coughing, often a dry cough without phlegm, or coughing up phlegm with blood, hemoptysis, and massive hemoptysis. Some patients may experience chest pain, or have a barking cough, or a metallic-sounding cough. Some patients may have shortness of breath after physical activity, and severe cases can experience breathing difficulties. In most cases, patients do not exhibit other clinical changes. However, as the disease progresses, and there is invasion into surrounding tissues, or distant metastases occur, symptoms of invasion into surrounding tissues or distant metastatic sites may appear. For example, metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes can cause enlarged lymph nodes, or compression of the superior vena cava by the patient, resulting in swelling of the face and neck.

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Written by Hu Zhong Dong
Medical Oncology
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Symptoms of advanced lung cancer

Late-stage lung cancer may cause pain. For example, bone metastasis is a common site of metastasis for lung cancer, which can lead to pain; if it metastasizes to the liver, it can cause expansive pain in the liver, and chest tightness and shortness of breath are also common symptoms of late-stage lung cancer. If the tumor is located at the hilum of the lung, compressing the lobar bronchi, main bronchus, etc., compression can lead to corresponding lung collapse, possibly causing chest tightness and shortness of breath. Additionally, a large amount of pleural effusion can also occupy the thoracic cavity, compressing the lungs, leading to difficulties in breathing due to chest tightness. Coughing might be a common symptom in lung cancer patients, especially in those whose tumors are located at the hilum of the lung. Hoarseness is caused by compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and this symptom might be alleviated after tumor treatment. Furthermore, some patients with advanced-stage lung cancer may experience swelling of the upper limbs and face, which is caused by the tumor compressing the superior vena cava.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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What is good to eat for lung cancer?

For dietary recommendations regarding lung cancer, the first suggestion is to maintain a regular diet and lifestyle with a routine schedule, focusing on easy-to-digest and absorbable foods. The second suggestion is to enhance nutrition intake, for instance, by consuming more eggs, milk, and other high animal protein foods, such as quality protein sources. The third suggestion is to eat more healthy green foods, such as vegetables and fruits, focusing on fresh items. The fourth point is to advise against smoking and drinking alcohol, and to consume fewer irritating foods.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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What should I do if lung cancer causes coughing up blood?

Lung cancer refers to a condition where, due to genetic mutations in human cells, cells grow disorderly or wildly, forming a solid mass-like lesion primarily known as lung cancer. Due to the uneven growth of lung cancer, local necrosis can occur, leading to bleeding, making coughing up blood a very common clinical manifestation in lung cancer. The severity of coughing up blood is classified into mild, moderate, and severe. Generally, if a single instance of coughing up blood is less than five milliliters, it can be managed with Yunnan Baiyao. However, if the amount exceeds 100 milliliters, it is advisable to seek medical attention promptly to prevent life-threatening risks from massive hemoptysis. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Hu Zhong Dong
Medical Oncology
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Clinical manifestations of lung cancer

The clinical manifestations of lung cancer may include fever. The reasons for the fever include possible infection, fever caused by the tumor itself, and another symptom is hemoptysis. Blood-streaked sputum or hemoptysis is a common symptom of lung cancer, accounting for about 30% of the initial symptoms. The characteristic of hemoptysis in lung cancer is intermittent and persistent, or repeated minor hemoptysis or blood streaks in sputum. Some patients may have large blood vessel ruptures, tumor cavitation leading to bronchial rupture, also causing massive hemoptysis. Some patients may exhibit coughing, with coughing as the initial symptom in about 35%-75% of cases. If a person's cough changes in nature to a high-pitched metallic sound, especially in smokers, it is crucial to be highly alert to the possibility of lung cancer. Another symptom is hoarseness, which occurs in about 20%-30% of lung cancer patients at various stages of the disease.