Focusing on diet and healthy eating is important for people living with NETs, because eating well can:
- Help you cope better with treatment
- Assist in healing after surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other medical treatment
- Boost your body’s immune system, its natural defense
- Help you maintain your weight and feel better in yourself. This is important even if you are not having treatment.
Each person's NET diagnosis and experience can be different, therefore the nutritional recommendations vary. Some common nutrition related issues are:
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Weight gain
- Nausea and vomiting
Click on the tip sheets below for nutrition tips.
Dietary management can help to ease symptoms. Neuroendocrine Cancer New Zealand’s nutrition toolkit was developed to assist patients with NETs to self-manage symptoms, and when taking urinary tests at home.
The toolkit is intended to provide general nutrition tips. For more personalised nutrition advice please contact a dietitian.
Special thanks to Kelsey Paterson, Olivia Cochrane and the University of Otago for their research and this resulting toolkit.
Carcinoid syndrome
Carcinoid syndrome may occur as a result of excessive hormone production by serotonin-producing NETs. Not everyone will develop carcinoid syndrome. This tip sheet provides a reminder of some of the key symptoms, trigger foods and good dietary sources of niacin.
Constipation
If your bowel motions are hard, lumpy and difficult to pass, then you may be constipated. The constipation tip sheet may help you to prevent constipation.
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is usually associated with frequent, watery bowel motions. Diarrhoea in NETs can be caused by excessive hormone production, bowel surgery, somatostatin analogues (SSAs), chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The diarrhoea tip sheet provides information on managing symptoms and when to contact your doctor.
Eating well
The eating well NET Tip Sheet is a simple guide with a range of tips on eating well for a healthy lifestyle.
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can be caused by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, somatostatin analogues, bowel obstruction and NETs themselves. The nausea and vomiting tip sheet has a range of practical tips to manage nausea and vomiting.
Urinary 5-HIAA
You may be required to take a take a urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) test. Urinary 5-HIAA is used as a marker of serotonin production in neuroendocrine tumours. There are a number of foods that must be avoided before and during the 5-HIAA test.
Weight gain
Sometimes gaining weight can be a problem. The weight gain tip sheet has some ideas to help you manage your weight gain through small lifestyle changes.
Weight loss
Sometimes losing weight can be a problem. The weight loss tip sheet has some ideas to help you increase the energy and protein content of your diet to help you maintain your weight.