Chapter 17: MNT for Brain Tumors

Question 1

Cancers that originate in the brain are called?

Answer 1

Primary Brain Tumors (PBT)

Question 2

T/F: One issue that makes brain tumors unique is the brain tumor can take up space in the brain and lead to deadly increases in pressure inside the skull and destroy and compress the surrounding normal tissue.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

T/F: Both Non-cancerous brain tumors can be just as deadly as a malignant tumor.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

T/F: Benign brain tumors are treated with the same modalities as malignant ones?

Answer 4

True

Question 5

What are common treatment methods for PBT?

Answer 5

surgery, chemotherapy and radiation

Question 6

Grade I tumor….

Answer 6

usually cystic and well defined. Their cells are relatively normal in appearance.

Question 7

Grade II tumor…..

Answer 7

Infiltrative but still considered a lower grade

Question 8

Grade III and IV tumors…..

Answer 8

are higher grades with Grade IV having areas of necrosis

Question 9

T/F: There are no known nutrition risk factors for brain cancer.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

T/F: Weight loss is a typically presenting symptom of brain cancer.

Answer 10

False

Question 11

T/F: Brain tumors are considered low nutrition-risk cancers.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

T/F: Headache is the most common presenting symptom of brain cancer.

Answer 12

True

Question 13

Brain Stem cancers frequently cause ___ and ___?

Answer 13

Nausea and vomiting

Question 14

What is SIADH?

Answer 14

Syndrome of Innapropriate Antiduretic Hormone secretion. It is occasionally caused by primary and metastatic brain tumors.

Question 15

What is Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS)

Answer 15

An assessment tool for functional impairment. Higher scores are associated with longer survival.

Question 16

What are the goals for nutrition care of the patient with PBT?

Answer 16

1. controlling physical symptoms that contribute to nutritional decline from the tumor itself, treatment and NIS 2. caregiver support 3. End of life care

Question 17

What are some NIS of PBT?

Answer 17

dysphagia, constipation, fatigue, low or increased appetite, xerostomia, hyperglycemia, dysguesia, ageusia

Question 18

What are some side effects of Corticosteroid treatment?

Answer 18

excessive weight gain, cushionoid appearance, truncal obesity, hyperglycemia, immunosuppression and muscle weakness, reductions in bone mineralization.

Question 19

When on the medication Procarbazine, patients need to follow a low ____ diet?

Answer 19

Tyramine

Question 20

Two treatment modalities being explored for PBT?

Answer 20

Ketogenic diet and Short-term Starvation (STS)

Question 21

What is the biggest challenge of the Ketogenic Diet?

Answer 21

Patient compliance

Question 22

What are the side effects of the Ketogenic Diet?

Answer 22

constipation, vomiting, decreased energy and hunger

Question 23

How is Short-term Starvation thought to work and what is one undesirable outcome?

Answer 23

It is thought to lower circulating levels of of IGF-1 and reduce angiogenesis. It may exacerbate weight loss.