Q:
The radiation and chemotherapy that my friend had to treat her breast cancer seems to have been successful. She now tests negative for cancer.
Now, the problem is that she won’t eat. She stopped eating about three and a half weeks ago. What are the ramifications?
A:
Aside from the loss of appetite that feeling sick from radiation and chemotherapy can bring on, the cancer itself actually secretes substances that suppress the appetite.
Getting patients to eat is an ongoing challenge in oncology. This is one of the reasons many people are in favor of medical marijuana, because marijuana increases appetite.
The body is well prepared to handle a lack of food for the short term. But as more time goes by without her getting any nutrition, her body will raid its own fat stores for energy, and her muscles will begin to waste away. This will be very dangerous to her.
Make her doctor aware that your friend isn’t eating, so the doctor monitors her nutrition.
