Cancer and Nutrition
Welcome to the Osher Center resource guide for Cancer and Nutrition, a resource for evidence-based nutrition guidelines regarding cancer prevention and survivorship. This comprehensive overview of dietary strategies for cancer patients draws on our review of published research, as well as books and websites on this topic.
You’ll find information on various facets of cancer and nutrition, including
- Healthy dietary approaches for cancer patients
- Important foods for cancer patients
- Sample meal plans and recipes
- Risk reduction advice by cancer type
- Answers to frequently asked questions about cancer and nutrition
- Reputable resources that address cancer and nutrition
The recommendations presented on this website are goals to aim for. If you are in the midst of cancer treatment, we encourage you to do the best you can to achieve these goals while recognizing that treatment-related side effects can interfere with your best efforts. Managing those side effects will take priority to some of the long-term dietary recommendations. Refer to our FAQ page for more information regarding managing treatment-related side effects with nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cancer and Nutrition
In our FAQ section, we provide evidence-based answers to many common questions that cancer patients have, such as the relationship between cancer and sugar, an alkaline diet, a ketogenic diet, and a paleo diet.
Additional Resources
More information about cancer and nutrition can be found through videos, book, websites, newsletters and local Bay Area resources.
Videos
- Eating for Life by Greta Macaire, RD, CSO
Books
- Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life
by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD - Foods to Fight Cancer: Essential Foods to Help Prevent Cancer
by Richard Beliveau, PhD and Denis Gingras, PhD - Cooking with Foods that Fight Cancer
by Richard Beliveau, PhD and Denis Gingras, PhD - The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery by Rebecca Katz
Websites
- American Institute for Cancer Research
- American Cancer Society
- Dr. Andrew Weil’s Cancer website and Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid
- WCRF/AICR Continuous Update Project and Reports
- ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention
- UCSF Hellen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer
- Environmental Working Group
Magazines & Newsletters
Bay Area Community Resources
- UCSF Patient and Family Cancer Support Center
- UCSF Osher Center free classes for people with cancer and their caregivers
- Ceres Community Project – meal distribution in Sonoma and Marin counties
- Sunflower Wellness – living through cancer with exercise
