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Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.

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Nutritional Supplements Help Myeloma Patients

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According to the study linked below, nutritional supplements help myeloma patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplants. To my way of thinking, if a myeloma patient is helped during their ASCT, they can be helped with any/all therapies.

I am a long-term myeloma survivor. I believe that nutritional supplmetation has helped me remain in complete remission from my MM since I reached complete remission in early 1999.

Further, I underwent an ASCT in December of 1995. I gained approximately 50 lbs. during the six months preceding my ASCT and then lost it all in the months following my ASCT.

An ASCT is aggressive treatment. No question about it. An autologous stem cell transplant is a component of the FDA approved standard-of-care therapy plan for ALL newly diagnosed MM patients. To a large degree, simply living through one is an accomplishment.

 


How do oral nutritional supplements help myeloma patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplants?

  • Improved Nutritional Status:
    • Myeloma patients often experience malnutrition due to the disease itself and the intensive treatments, including chemotherapy, that precede the ASCT. ONS provide essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help maintain or improve the patient’s nutritional status, which is crucial for recovery and overall health.
  • Enhanced Immune Function:
    • Adequate nutrition is vital for maintaining a robust immune system. ONS can supply immunonutrients such as arginine, glutamine, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to support immune function. This can be particularly beneficial for patients whose immune systems are compromised due to the disease and treatment.
  • Weight Maintenance and Muscle Mass:
    • Cancer and its treatments can lead to significant weight loss and muscle wasting (cachexia). ONS help patients maintain their weight and muscle mass by providing high-quality proteins and calories. This can improve physical strength and reduce the risk of treatment-related complications.
  • Reduced Treatment-Related Side Effects:
    • Proper nutrition can help mitigate some of the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, such as mucositis (inflammation of the mucous membranes), diarrhea, and loss of appetite. ONS can be formulated to be gentle on the digestive system and to address specific side effects.
  • Faster Recovery and Reduced Hospital Stay:
    • Studies have shown that well-nourished patients tend to recover faster from treatments and have shorter hospital stays. ONS can contribute to quicker wound healing and recovery, enhancing the overall outcome of the ASCT.
  • Improved Quality of Life:
    • Maintaining good nutrition can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life. ONS help ensure that patients have enough energy to perform daily activities, reduce fatigue, and improve their overall sense of well-being.
  • Support During Periods of Inappetence:
    • During ASCT, patients often experience periods when their appetite is severely reduced. ONS are a convenient way to provide concentrated nutrition in a small volume, making it easier for patients to consume the necessary nutrients even when they don’t feel like eating solid food.

The entire subject of nutritional supplementation can be overwhelming for the newly diagnosed MM patient. Supplements for:

  • Bone health, 
  • Anti-MM. 
  • Immune boosting, 

can be confusing and complicated for someone who knows little about the subject to begin with.

My advice is to simplify the main message in the study below A general multi-vitamin, whether capsule, liquid, etc. is the take-away from the information below. I cannot help but to also promote nutrition and gentle lifestyle therapies while we are on the subject.

Are you a NDMM patient? What symptoms? How old are you? What are your goals? If you would like to learn more about evidence-based non-conventional MM therapies email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com 

Thank you,

David Emerson

  • MM Survivor
  • MM Cancer Coach
  • Director PeopleBeatingCancer

The effect of oral nutrition supplement (ONS) on the nutritional and clinical status of patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial

“Several side effects within the patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), especially ones that influence nutrition intake, can cause weight loss and malnutrition. Based on studies, oral nutritional supplement (ONS) may reinforce their nutrient intake and progress clinical outcomes. The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of oral nutrition supplements on the nutritional and clinical status of patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation…

Outcome measures

The primary study outcomes would be weight and BMI. The study’s secondary outcome variables would be

  • the rate of infection during hospitalization,
  • the recurrence rate after transplantation,
  • the severity of oral mucositis,
  • the number of readmissions after transplantation during three months,
  • the number of days it takes for neutrophil engraftment to occur,
  • the number of days it takes for platelet engraftment to occur,
  • graft Failure,
  • mortality rate up to three months after transplantation,
  • appetite,
  • hand grip strength,
  • mid-arm circumference,
  • calf circumference,
  • total energy intake,
  • protein intake,
  • carbohydrate intake, and fat intake.

Discussion

In patients with hematologic malignancies, the conditioning regimen prior to HSCT, as well as the use of steroids and immune-suppressors, can cause a variety of side effects, including

  • anorexia,
  • mucositis,
  • limited gut absorption,
  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • dysgeusia, and
  • diarrhea.

These side effects can all affect dietary intake and result in weight loss [7,8,9]. Prior to the HSCT, patients’ nutritional statuses might vary. While many patients have normal nutritional status at diagnosis, there is a chance that significant weight loss will occur throughout therapy [13].

Studies have highlighted that weight loss within the first 100 days post-HSCT influences short-term clinical outcomes and one-year overall survival [37]. Additionally, a tailored nutritional pathway with a specific basal energy expenditure rate has been validated to prevent weight loss in HSCT patients undergoing myeloablative conditioning, with skeletal muscle mass identified as an independent risk factor for reduced 2-year survival [38].

In addition, malnutrition was linked to a slower recovery, greater rates of readmission, and increased death following HSCT [7].

One effective way to support nutrition is through ONS, which can increase the amount of macro and micronutrients in food [20, 21]; Additionally, ONS is a crucial therapeutic approach that encourages consuming a lot of protein and calories [39]. According to a study, ONS lessened nausea and vomiting, which are frequently brought on by chemotherapy and can significantly affect one’s appetite and quality of life [40].

Studies have found that ONS can help esophageal cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy by reducing weight loss and improving nutritional status [17]; improve patients’ QOL and reduce weight loss in patients with NSCLC cancer during chemotherapy, the effects of supplementation treatment were also investigated from a metabolic perspective in this study, that it was possible to find that plasma polyamines, one of the well-known markers of tumor growth, was reduced after the treatment [22].

As hematological patients also have less energy intake than they need because of side effects of their chemo(radio)therapy, weight loss is occurred in their hospitalization time; therefore, nutrition support may be beneficial for them to increase their energy intake [19].

The use of ONS in patients undergoing HSCT has not been studied before; however, because GI side effects from chemotherapy and other post-transplant complications may compromise the effectiveness of ONS in these patients, the current study is being conducted to assess how ONS affects the nutritional and clinical status of patients undergoing autologous HSCT.

If the nutritional and clinical status of patients receiving autologous hematopoietic stem cell treatment is significantly affected by ONS consumption, then this strategy of increasing total caloric intake and subsequently increasing patients’ weight can be suggested in order to improve their condition.

 

 

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3 comments
David Emerson says a few months ago

Hi Kat- I have difficulty swallowing sometimes. My only solution is to always have liquid handy…always.

Reply
Kathryn Guillaum says a few months ago

My challenge lately; which supplements, when, with or without food, how close together to another supplement or prescription. Last three months, give or take, I’ve been taking all pills with food…because pills are not going down my throat easily.
I have no problem swallow in food

Reply
Kathryn Guillaum says a few months ago

👍

Reply
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