Fueling Hope: Nutrition for Cancer Care with Jasmine Ditter & Maddi Mleziva
Learn how personalized dietary guidance can make a difference throughout your cancer journey and how to navigate the sea of nutritional information often found online from oncology clinical dietitians Jasmine Ditter and Maddi Mleziva.
When Will I Know the Treatment is Working?
Join Dr. Tony Jaslowski and Dr. Michael Guiou as they share their insights on understanding when and how cancer treatment effectiveness is evaluated.
Who can I bring with me to my appointments?
You can bring loved ones with you to your appointments. If they are feeling unwell, we recommend they stay home to minimize exposure for all our other patients. Children under the age of twelve are not permitted in the infusion treatment area.
Can I bring food to my infusion treatments?
Yes.
Is it safe for me to be around my loved ones after treatment?
Yes, if they don’t have any contagious infections.
What is an ECOG score?
It describes a patient’s level of functioning in terms of their ability to care for themselves, daily activity, and physical ability (walking, working, etc.).
Why aren’t tumor markers drawn every visit?
Tumor markers (like PSA, CA 125, CA 15-3, and CA 19-9) aren’t as reliable as most people think, and they can sometimes fluctuate widely for no apparent reason. Used inappropriately (either too often or for the wrong types of cancer situation) and tumor markers can create a lot of confusion, unnecessary testing, and unhelpful stress […]
Do I need supervision after treatments?
Not usually. If you were well enough before treatment to live independently (including shopping and preparing food, maintaining a safe home environment, etc.) you shouldn’t need close supervision afterwards.
When will we know if the treatment is working?
It usually takes two to three months to know for sure, though in some cases (particularly if the tumor or tumors can be felt easily) we may be able to tell after one month. For some blood cancers (especially acute leukemia) we may be able to tell after only a few weeks.
Can I drink alcohol during treatment?
It depends greatly on the exact treatment you’re receiving. Many patients are still able to drink alcohol in moderation during cancer treatment. But some radiation and chemotherapy treatments can make alcohol taste bad. Alcohol may make nausea worse. And if you’re being treated for head and neck cancer or esophageal cancer, drinking alcohol may even […]
