Dietary Side Effects of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma and its cancer treatments can cause side effects that affect your diet, such as a sore throat, lack of appetite and dry mouth. These affect nutrition and recovery because they make eating difficult.
Written by: Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RDN | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: May 23, 2025
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How Does Mesothelioma Treatment Affect Diet?
You may need to change your diet to stay healthy and strong enough to tolerate the side effects of mesothelioma and its treatment.
For example, not consuming enough calories and protein because treatment-related mouth sores are preventing you from eating is a common challenge for cancer patients.
Without good nutrition, you may struggle to keep up your weight before, during and after treatment. It is important to address this nutritional issue head on to ensure you receive all your treatments and recover.
Changes in How Your Body Uses Protein and Calories
Because of the way cancer affects your body, you may require more protein and calories than usual to meet basic nutrition needs. If you don’t increase how much you are eating, you may experience unintentional weight loss. Maintaining weight and muscle mass is important to improving your mesothelioma prognosis.
A 2022 clinical research study found that mesothelioma patients who maintained skeletal muscle mass had a greater chance of survival after 12 months compared to participants with increased sedentary time and lower rates of light activity.
Losing weight without trying is hard on your body. It can worsen treatment side effects and make recovery more difficult. Treatment itself may alter the way your body uses the food you eat for fuel, too.
Protein is specifically related to outcomes. We know that patients who have better protein levels, such as their albumin and pre-albumin, are relatively okay, meaning they can withstand surgery and chemotherapy, and they can do well.
Cancer Side Effects That Impact Diet
Side effects that affect what, how and when you eat have a great impact on nutrition. Side effects vary from person to person based on their unique diagnosis, treatments, overall health and other factors.
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Mouth sores
- Sore throat
- Dry mouth
- Changes in taste or smell
- Dental and gum problems
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
Mesothelioma treatment can also lower the immune system and make you more susceptible to food poisoning. Food safety is critical to your ability to heal and recover. Preparing nutritious foods safely is another important part of eating well after a mesothelioma diagnosis.
Mesothelioma Side Effects That Impact Diet
Certain side effects that are unique to patients with mesothelioma will affect appetite, digestion and the ability to eat.
- Breathing Difficulties: Fluid around the lungs can make it harder to breathe, too. If you aren’t breathing well, eating can be a challenge. Food isn’t appealing when you can’t catch your breath. If you experience new shortness of breath or worsening of existing breathing issues, call your doctor right away.
- Excess Fluid in the Body: Fluid can build up in your midsection and can compress your digestive tract. This may prevent your body from sending normal hunger cues. When this happens, you never feel hungry. And you may have a sense of fullness after just a couple of bites.
- Stiff Tissues Around the Digestive Tract: Another unique side effect of mesothelioma is the stiffening of the affected tissues. If you have peritoneal mesothelioma, your stomach and intestines cannot expand properly to accommodate the food you ingest.
- Stiff Tissues Around the Lungs: If you have pleural mesothelioma, it can affect your ability to eat well. Surgery and radiation therapy may build up scar tissue that can extend into your digestive area, making eating difficult.
Mesothelioma treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can alter taste and cause mouth sores, which further discourage healthy eating. These issues can result in malnutrition, weakened immunity and decreased energy levels that hinder recovery.
Ease your mesothelioma symptoms with the right food. See recipes designed for you.
Get My Free GuideSeek Expert Help from a Registered Dietitian
In addition to a mesothelioma specialist and respiratory specialist, you may want to consult with a dietitian, too. A dietitian can work with you to build an individualized nutrition plan that may ease some of the dietary side effects of mesothelioma.
Dietitians can develop protein and calorie goals and provide food lists and menus to help you meet your goals. This will keep you stronger as you go through treatment.
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