Diet and pancreatic cancer

Having cancer of the pancreas will affect your eating and drinking habits, whatever your stage or treatment. The pancreas is not only close to the stomach and bowel, it produces both insulin and enzymes which help to digest food.

After surgery, you may have digestive problems, such as diarrhoea. If you've had all or part of your pancreas removed, you may need to take insulin or tablets to regulate your blood sugar. You may also need to take enzyme supplements when you eat to help your digestion. It can take time to get the balance of these drugs right. Be patient, and make a note of any digestive symptoms you have which might help your doctor to get things right more quickly.

If you are on insulin or tablets to regulate your blood sugar, your doctor will ask you to check your urine for sugar. Too much sugar in the urine indicates that the sugar balance of your body is not yet right. If you are on insulin, you will probably also have to test your blood sugar levels. You will have to prick your finger and squeeze a drop of blood onto a test strip. The colour of the test strip will show approximately how much sugar is in your blood. You will then know how much insulin you should take. It takes time to get used to doing these tests. But you will be shown how to do it before you leave hospital. You may also have a nurse to visit you at home to help you and answer your questions.

People with pancreatic disease often find it hard to digest fat. You should see a dietician before you leave hospital. They will give you a diet plan to suit you. If you are taking enzymes to help you digest your food, you may need to adjust the amount you take a few times before you get the level right. And you may need to vary it depending on what you have eaten. Again, your dietician will help you with this.

You may find it easier to have lots of small meals through the day, rather than sticking to the traditional three meals a day. It is a good idea to have plenty of nutritious snacks to hand that you can have whenever you feel like eating. If you can manage it, it is best to choose full fat versions of yoghurts and puddings, so that you get the most calories. You could try

• Yoghurts or fromage frais
• Other soft puddings such as trifle or chocolate mousse
• Dried fruit
• Stewed or fresh fruit (bananas are high in calories)
• Crisps or nuts
• Cheese
• Instant soups (make up with milk to boost calories)
• Cereal
• Milky drinks
• Chocolate
• Flapjacks

Some of these ideas may not suit your digestion but they are worth a try. If in doubt, check with your dietician. Try to think of quick ways of having the things you like to eat. If possible, get someone to prepare your favourite foods in advance and freeze them in small portions. A microwave makes defrosting and heating easier and quicker.

If you are having problems with diarrhoea after pancreatic surgery, it is most probably related to difficulty digesting fat. Even so, avoid very high fibre foods (such as cereal and dried fruit) for the time being as these may make things worse. Tell your doctor, nurse or dietician. You may need some medicines to control your symptoms. It is worth asking to see a dietician to see if they can plan a diet that suits you better.

If you are finding it hard to eat, there are plenty of nutritional supplements available on prescription. Some are powders you sprinkle on your food and some are drinks that are complete meals in themselves. Sipping a supplement between meals throughout the day can really boost your calorie intake. Again, ask your doctor or dietician.

There is detailed information about diet and cancer in the section of CancerHelp UK about coping physically with cancer.