As we know, many patients after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer will have dry, itchy and tight skin, or have dry mouth, dry and painful throat or even mouth ulcers. This is due to the direct damage to the skin caused by radiation, as well as the loss of parotid and salivary gland functions and the reduction of glandular secretion, resulting in the loss of self-cleaning effect of the mouth. Now, how to take care of nasopharyngeal cancer after radiotherapy and what to pay attention to in terms of diet?
1.Often drink water: drink more than 2500ml of water per day, often drink water with honeysuckle and maitake to moisten the oral mucosa.
2, often gargle: self-mixed light salt water gargle, preparation: in 500ml of warm water with cooked salt 3 to 4g (about a small half spoon); or gargle with Dobei’s liquid. Gargling solution should last at least 1 minute per gargle, 4 to 5 times a day.
3.Food: such as vitamin c, lemon, sugar-free chewing gum.
4, ulcer local spray watermelon cream spray, and do open mouth exercise, so that the oral mucosa wrinkled wall at the full gas exchange, destroy the growth environment of anaerobic bacteria.
Second, skin care 1, itchy skin, scrub with a soft towel of warm water, can not be scratched by hand.
2.Use non-irritating ointment for external application, pay attention to keep the skin clean and dry.
Avoid applying cosmetics, trimming nails to avoid scratching the skin, avoiding excessive sunlight, avoiding clothing pressure and binding or clothing material too rough.
4.Male patients with head and neck tumor are better to use electric shaver.
The radiation increases the energy consumption and decreases the net protein synthesis, plus the increase of protein decomposition brought by dexamethasone and other treatments, which often leads to malnutrition of patients, so high protein, high calorie, high vitamin and easy to digest diet should be given.
1, peanuts, sunflower seeds, soybean flour, lean pork and wheat flour, millet, corn, rice, etc. are rich in vitamin B1, which helps glycogen synthesis and reduces radiation damage to nerve tissue, but rice and flour processed too fine will make the vitamin B1 content greatly reduced. White meat (fish, chicken, etc.) is rich in vitamin B6 and more easily absorbed, beans, fruits (except lemon) and vegetables also contain more vitamin B6, which can participate in lipid, protein and nucleic acid metabolism, reduce radiation damage and promote recovery. Lean meat, fish and nuts are rich in niacinamide and niacin, milk and eggs are rich in tryptophan, which can be converted into niacin, which has good effect on the inhibition of NADH catabolism of radiation-induced tumor cells, improves DNA biosynthesis, and reduces nausea and vomiting.
2, ionization damage is mainly caused by free radicals, so before and after radiotherapy, increase the food with antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects on the prevention of radiation encephalopathy has some help. Such as fresh vegetables (round pepper, tomatoes, coronary, leek, heart of vegetables, bitter melon, etc.) and fruits (red dates, sour dates, strawberries, citrus, lemon) are rich in vitamin C; wheat germ, sunflower seeds and other nuts, soybeans, green leafy vegetables rich in vitamin E; dark vegetables (pumpkin, carrots, spinach, capers, tomatoes, etc.) and mangoes, oranges contain more β-carotene, the maintenance of the digestive tract mucosa and enhance immune They play an important role in the maintenance of the mucosa of the digestive tract and the enhancement of immunity. Eating more fruits also increases the intake of fructose and glucose, which is better for radiation protection, but it is used with caution for people with diabetes. Note that vegetables should be fried quickly to preserve vitamins. Cooking oil should be selected rich in essential fatty acids and oleic acid fats, such as sunflower oil, peanut oil, tea oil and olive oil.
3, red meat (beef and lamb, lean pork), shellfish is an excellent source of dietary zinc, dried fruits, grain germ and bran are also rich in zinc, which can improve the patient’s taste disorder, protect the digestive tract mucosa and enhance immune function.
4, beans and their products (such as soybeans, tofu, dried beans, etc.) contain soy isoflavones, which not only have anti-cancer, anti-aging, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis during menopause, but also can play an anti-radiation role by blocking the transfer of lipid free radicals generated in the lipid peroxidation chain reaction, increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the body, regulating and enhancing cellular immunity, and enhancing biological transformation of the liver. The addition of mushrooms (shiitake, kelp, black fungus, silver fungus, yeast), almonds and honey also have a good protective effect against radiation damage. Green tea contains polyphenols, has antioxidant, scavenging free radicals, DNA protection, anti-radiation and many other effects.
5, herbs and soup selection: wolfberry lean meat soup can improve immune function; angelica astragalus lean meat soup can be supplemented with qi and blood, angelica on DNA damage, chromosomal aberrations have a protective effect, astragalus contains astragalus total flavonoids, astragalus total saponins, on a variety of free radicals have a good scavenging effect, can improve the body’s antioxidant capacity, improve lipid abnormalities on brain tissue damage, while enhancing humoral immunity and cellular immunity, prevent cell It can also enhance humoral immunity and cellular immunity, prevent cellular aging, and resist radiation damage. Ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum and Spirulina can also improve immune function.
6, after radiotherapy, some patients have damaged salivary glands, the oral mucosa is red, swollen and erosion, easily nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, serious bleeding and nutritional metabolism disorders. Therefore, it is advisable to eat less and more meals, mainly liquid and semi-liquid food, such as lean meat porridge, milk, rice paste, noodles, fresh fruit juice, steamed egg custard, tofu flower, sesame paste, broth and so on. Avoid eating fried and pickled foods and spicy and irritating foods such as curry, mustard and chili, and forbid eating overheated and hard foods. Pay attention to keep the oral cavity clean, such as brushing teeth after meals with gentle movements; rinse with Dopey’s solution after meals and before bedtime every day, etc.