Traci Roberts, MS, RD - Diet and Nutrition | Testicular Cancer Conference 2024 presented by Fennec Pharmaceuticals

Traci Roberts, MS, RD - Diet and Nutrition | Testicular Cancer Conference 2024 presented by Fennec Pharmaceuticals

At the 2024 Testicular Cancer Conference presented by Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Traci Roberts, a registered dietitian at Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego Health, discussed nutrition and diet for cancer patients and survivors. She highlighted the confusion caused by misleading advertisements and fad diets aimed at selling products, emphasizing that despite changing trends, core dietary guidelines have remained consistent for over 40 years.

Roberts reiterated that these longstanding recommendations include eating a variety of foods, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting saturated fats, sugars, and sodium, and consuming alcohol in moderation. She stressed that these guidelines are applicable to cancer prevention, during treatment, and in survivorship.

During cancer treatment, the main nutritional goal is weight stability to prevent muscle loss. If patients experience appetite loss or side effects, she advised that it's acceptable to consume calorie-dense foods, even if they aren't traditionally "healthy." Hydration is essential, and all fluids contribute—not just water.

In survivorship, Roberts recommended returning to general healthy eating practices and underscored that nutrition is a critical component of overall health, which should be balanced with exercise, stress reduction, and healthy relationships. She cautioned against the overuse of dietary supplements, noting that a well-rounded diet typically provides all necessary nutrients, and supplements are generally unnecessary for disease prevention or treatment.

The slides from Traci’s presentation can be downloaded here. Some animated functionalities in the presentation will not be available in the PDF.