ABSTRACT:

This review hypothesizes that evidence-based dietary interventions play a fundamental, rather than auxiliary, role in maintaining health and managing disease, particularly in the context of cancer care. It highlights the critical importance of nutrition as a modifiable factor in determining health and disease. The review examines how dietary habits impact systemic inflammation and body composition, two factors that significantly influence cancer risk, treatment tolerance, and patient outcomes. Evidence suggests that pro-inflammatory nutritional patterns, such as the Western diet, are associated with elevated inflammatory biomarkers and an increased risk of disease. Conversely, anti-inflammatory diets, including the Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets, promote metabolic homeostasis and improved clinical outcomes. Nutrition also regulates body composition, helping to mitigate sarcopenia and obesity in cancer patients, both of which influence prognosis and quality of life. To integrate nutritional care into oncology practice effectively, early nutritional screening, personalized diet planning, and the inclusion of registered nutritionists within multidisciplinary teams are essential. Future research should aim to elucidate the molecular pathways linking diet to cancer progression and to refine individualized nutrition strategies in standard oncologic care.

How to Cite this paper?