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GLENEAGLES Medical Centre, Penang HOC monthly newsletter

July 2006

th

Next support group meeting: 7.30 pm, 20th July 2006 Topic: Understanding cancer chemotherapy. Speaker: Dr Leong

Prepared by the

Haematology – Oncology Centre, GMC Penang

15 June 2006. Ms Jaen Ang, nutritionist from Singapore with Nestle, gave a short talk on nutrition and cancer. In her talk, she highlighted the need to have adequate nutrition. Patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy have decrease appetitie, nausea, a change in taste and fatigue. She gave suggestions on how to modify the diet to suit the situation. She suggested frequent smaller meals, more blend and dressing up the meal to have a good feel effect. She related her personal experience having to care for a close relative with cancer. She advised also adequate water / liquid intake. Taking vitamins in above recommended doses was cautioned. Sometimes commercially available supplements are useful in the form of liquid supplemental diets, milk and non-milk based. There is a Chinese tradition that you would supplement your diet with herbs to improve your health during

Ms Jaen Ang giving her talk.

The support group audience. sickness. She cautioned this as some herbs have been shown to be possibly dangerous during chemotherapy. There can be interaction with chemotherapy, changes with blood clotting resulting in bleeding, and also make the chemotherapy ineffective. Continue back page.

14th Support Group Meeting Topic: Understanding Cancer Chemotherapy Speaker: Dr Leong Kin Wah Time: 7.30 to 9.30 pm Date: 20 th July 2006 , Thurs Venue: Lecture Hall, 6 th Floor, GMC Penang Only for patients, spouses, relatives and caregivers For catering purposes, your confirmation with Ms Mabel, Dr Leong’s secretary at 04 2202189.is much appreciated. Thanks.

GLENEAGLES Medical Centre, Penang HOC monthly newsletter Page 2, July 2006 Contiune from front page.

Next support group meeting: 7.30 pm, 20th July 2006 Topic: Understanding cancer chemothera py. Speaker: Dr Leong

Prepared by the

Haematology – Oncology Centre, GMC Penang

In general, a balanced diet is ideal with adequate calories and also proteins. Vitamins and trace elements can be obtained from fruits and vegetables. Meat can be consumed. Thus a diet rich in fruits and vegetables along with some meat is advised. Many turn to fully vegetarian diets. If vegetarian, one must be careful to have enough protein intake to ensure good nutrition. During question time, the topic of organic foods was raised. There is no reason to believe that this is much better than ordinarily produced foods.

Chemoport attached to catheter, with syringe into port. (compare size with 50 cents coin)

Chemoport is a device to assist in Chemoport completely delivery of cytotoxic chemotherapy. It consists of a catheter joined to a port. When intravenous medication or fluids including cytotoxic chemotherapy is injected into the port, it will travel through into the catheter and then enter the venous circulation through the superior vena cava (the largest vein in the body). Thus, chemoport is very useful for administration of chemotherapy for selected patients, particularly for long infusions (few hours to days) and patients with small and difficult veins.

under the skin

Chest X-ray showing chemoport with catheter into the large vein leading to the heart (arrow).

The Star gave a good review of Dr Leong’s book and would recommend it for cancer patients. It is now available in MPH bookstores and other local bookstores. THE HUMAN SIDE Facing Cancer by Dr Leong Kin Wah Full Color, 24 true stories. 186 pages. Price RM 30. Available in GMC Penang. 50% discount for Dr Leong’s patients..