Can a low-bacterial food plan improve outcomes for neutropenic cancer patients?

Scientists have reviewed the prevailing literature to supply evidence of the effectiveness of the low-bacterial food plan (LBD) in reducing mortality rates, infection incidence, and improving the standard of life (QoL) in neutropenic cancer patients. This review is on the market in Nutrients.

Background

Cancer is one in all the important causes of mortality worldwide. Although the danger of food-borne infections in patients with neutropenic cancer is managed using an LBD, the precise profit isn’t well understood. 

Around 6.5% of cancer patients develop hematologic malignancies, which have been characterised by abnormal cell growth and development of blood cells (e.g., myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma). 

Patients with hematologic malignancies are sometimes subjected to aggressive treatment, comparable to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (hSCT). Although these therapies eliminate cancer cells, additionally they negatively affect the immune system of the patients causing severe bone marrow suppression.

Neutrophils are a kind of white blood cell that defends the body against fungal and bacterial infection. Neutropenia is a condition that’s characterised by a major decrease within the variety of neutrophils. 
Neutropenic cancer patients develop long-term neutropenia, making them liable to infections. Several preventive measures are used to guard patients with neutropenic cancer from infection. These patients are advised to make use of personal protective equipment (PPE), wear facemasks and improve hand hygiene, to scale back pathogen transmission. 

Dietary restrictions, comparable to LBD, are considered to be vital preventive measures to regulate disease manifestation. LBD reduces the danger of food-borne infections by suppressing the exposure of harmful bacteria within the gut. 

The important concept behind LBD is that certain food when not adequately processed or consumed raw might contain pathogenic bacteria, comparable to Listeria, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli. For patients with neutropenia, exposure to those bacteria, even in small quantities, may cause severe infection.

LBD restricts the consumption of uncooked vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish. Moreover, it also restricts the consumption of sentimental cheese because of its higher risk of contamination. 
Although not much evidence regarding the advantages of LBD for neutropenic cancer patients has been documented, this food plan is usually really helpful to those patients. The practicality and necessity of implementing LBD are being evaluated within the scientific community.

It’s imperative to raised understand the benefits and limitations of LBD to design diets to best support neutropenic cancer patients. The present review assessed whether LBD impacts infection risks, mortality rates, and QoL in neutropenic cancer patients.

Study findings

Although a complete of 1985 articles were identified through database searches, 12 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. These studies indicated that LBD imposes considerable limitations on various fresh food products (e.g., fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish). Two groups of patients, one following LBD and the opposite adhering to a free food plan, exhibited similar rates of infection and mortality. 

One other study indicated that patients following LBD were at an increased risk of diarrhea and infection. In contrast, those following a free food plan were found to be protected against common conditions including nausea, weight reduction, and diarrhea.

A well-balanced food plan, prepared with proper cooking techniques, storage, and handling methods, was in a position to minimize the danger of food-borne infections. A well-balanced free food plan overcame the shortcomings of LBD and provided patients with a broader range of food decisions. LBD affected the general QoL of immunocompromised patients. 

Since lots of these patients experience physical and psychological stress with reduced appetite and altered taste preferences, restrictions imposed through LBD significantly enhance their QoL.

Many patients subjected to cytotoxicity treatments experience malnutrition because of food aversion and malabsorption. These patients should be supplied with optimal nutrients such that treatment-related complications might be minimized. A well-balanced dietary food plan supports an immunocompromised patient under cytotoxicity treatment with strength and enhances the recovery process.

Cooking methods related to LBD comparable to boiling, soaking, and baking end in nutrient loss, particularly heat-sensitive minerals and vitamins. Since micronutrients play a key role in supporting immune function, they’re particularly essential for immunocompromised patients. 

LBD restricts the consumption of fibers, which supports the gut microbiome. It will be important to discover an optimal food program to support patients considering their cultural preferences and dietary traditions.

Limitations

The present review has several limitations including the study design and consideration of studies with different methodologies. One other drawback of the present study is the usage of non-validated questionnaires with reduced response rates. 

Although this study emphasized the importance of nutrition in QoL, a really limited variety of studies considered on this review have addressed this aspect. The dearth of a standardized definition of the LBD posed greater difficulty for the suitable interpretation of the findings. 

Despite the restrictions, the current review provided insight into the results of LBD in patients with hematological malignancies prone to developing neutropenia. This study highlighted the positive effects of a free food plan over LBD for patients with hematological malignancies.