title: Differences in dietary intake during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients compared to women without cancer.
abstract: Breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy often experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite that potentially affect dietary habits. This study assessed the intake of energy, macronutrients and food groups before and during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients compared with women without cancer, and determined the association between symptoms and energy and macronutrient intake.
  
  
  
  This study included 117 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients scheduled for chemotherapy and 88 women without cancer. Habitual intake before chemotherapy was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. Two 24-h dietary recalls were completed on random days for each participant during the whole chemotherapy treatment for patients and within 6 months after recruitment for women without cancer. Shortly, after the dietary recall, participants filled out questionnaires on symptoms.
  
  
  
  Before chemotherapy, habitual energy and macronutrient intake was similar for breast cancer patients and women without cancer. During chemotherapy, breast cancer patients reported a significantly lower total energy, fat, protein and alcohol intake than women without cancer, as shown by a lower intake of pastry and biscuits, cheese, legumes and meat products. A decline in subjective taste perception, appetite and hunger and experiencing a dry mouth, difficulty chewing, lack of energy and nausea were associated with a lower energy intake.
  
  
  
  Symptoms induced by chemotherapy are associated with lower dietary intake and manifested by a lower intake of specific food groups. To ensure an optimal dietary intake during chemotherapy, it is important to monitor nutritional status and symptom burden during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.|Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M M G A
authors.initials: MMGA
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H M
authors.initials: JHM
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boesveldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Th C M
authors.initials: JTCM
authors.lastname: de Kruif
authors.affiliation: Amphia Ziekenhuis, Breda, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buist
authors.affiliation: Ziekenhuis Gelderse Vallei, Ede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haringhuizen
authors.affiliation: Antonius Ziekenhuis, Nieuwegein/Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Los
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Flevoziekenhuis, Almere, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Sommeijer
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Alexander Monro Ziekenhuis, Bithoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H N
authors.initials: JHN
authors.lastname: Timmer-Bonte
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H W M
authors.initials: HWM
authors.lastname: van Laarhoven
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kampman
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Renate.winkels@wur.nl.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Winkels
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Breast cancer; Chemotherapy; Dietary intake; Macronutrients; Side effect