How can you take action? Check for signs and symptoms!

Weight loss is one of the most common side effects of cancer. Between 30% and 80% of patients may lose weight at some point during their disease². There are lots of reasons why you could lose weight when going through cancer. Before and especially during treatment, you may not feel like eating or drinking because of a lack of appetite, mouth ulcers, nausea, vomiting, or taste changes. Taste and smell changes are extremely common, affecting up to 70% of people with cancer during treatment³. These taste and smell changes matter because they interfere with enjoyment of eating and drinking and cause you to eat and drink less than normal – meaning that your body doesn’t get all the nutrition it needs^4,5. Taste changes lead to a 20–25% reduction in calories ingested each day, resulting in weight loss^4,5. Without adequate nutrition, your body will be less able to cope with both the cancer and its treatment, reducing the chance of a successful treatment⁶.

If you are worried about unexplained weight loss or a poor appetite, either for yourself or for someone you care for, here are some things you can do: 

What can you do?

• Regularly check and keep track of your weight
  
• Calculate your BMI Managing Malnutrition: All Resources
• Fill out this Screening tool or Checklist which you can help you check whether you are a healthy weight, and whether you are at risk of becoming malnourished.
• Check out these leaflets for more tips and tricks!
• Try small, frequent meals or snacks instead (say every 2 hours) and make the most of when you feel hungry
• Eating a wide variety of foods gives us the nutrients we need including vitamins and minerals
• Sometimes it can be difficult to remember what you’ve eaten or how you were feeling. To help you keep track of good days and not so good days try using the wellbeing diary
• Make a note of whether you’ve been able to keep up your usual activities.

Start the conversation!​

You don’t need to wait to be asked about your diet: It’s ok for you to start the conversation about eating and drinking. Speak with your doctor, nurse, or dietitian if you notice any of the above symptoms or side effects or if you notice that you are losing weight, skipping meals or are unable to eat as much as you could before your diagnosis. It’s important to raise any concerns that you have regarding nutrition. Multi-disciplinary teams, including healthcare professionals from different specialties, are key and can support you during this journey. 

There are more ways to take action!