Nutrition Services
Hoag Family Cancer Institute is pleased to provide comprehensive nutrition
services to cancer patients and survivors. Comprised of two registered
dietitians, the Cancer Institute dietitian team is dedicated to helping
patients meet their nutritional goals and understand the valuable relationship
between good nutrition and health.
Studies show that specialized nutrition support and counseling helps patients
maintain energy, and complete treatment while preserving quality of life.
Studies also show that dietitian intervention in cancer patient care helps
to decrease weight loss during treatment, reduces breaks in treatment,
and results in fewer readmissions into the hospital during treatment.
Hoag Nutrition Service's team Denise Lohman, M.P.H., R.D., C.S.O. and
Jessica Tamashiro, R.D., C.S.O.
Hoag Family Cancer Institute dietitians work closely with patients’
physicians, nurses, therapists, and social workers to ensure complete
care. The following are some of the services the dietitian team provides:
- ​Medical nutritional therapy before, during and after treatment Individuals
with a variety of conditions and illnesses can improve their health and
quality of life by receiving medical nutritional therapy. During the assessment
and follow-up sessions, the dietitian will counsel the patient on behavioral
and lifestyle changes required to impact long-term eating habits and health.
This is recommended at all phases of cancer diagnoses—before, during
and after treatment.
- One-on-one counseling: The registered dietitian will perform a comprehensive
nutrition assessment, and implement a nutrition intervention using evidence-based
nutrition, and will monitor and evaluate the individual’s progress
over subsequent visits.
- Symptom/side effect management: it is normal for patients to experience
burdensome physical symptoms from their disease and/or cancer treatment
itself. Sometimes these symptoms require specialized care in addition
to the patient’s primary cancer treatment. The dietitian will help
patients and their family members work on reducing difficult physical
symptoms, improving function and reducing disability.
- Tube feeding education and management: Tube feedings can make a huge difference
for successful treatment outcomes among head and neck cancer patients.
Tube feedings are a lifestyle change; however with practice, they can
easily become a part of an individual’s daily routine. The dietitian
thoroughly educates patients and their family members on the function
of a feeding tube and its management from the time of placement to the
time of removal.
- Group nutritional counseling through support groups and symposiums: Support
groups and nutrition series lectures provide a collaborative approach
to nutrition education. The group atmosphere encourages patients to learn
from others and provides emotional support through a challenging time.
- Nutrition education to patients, family members and caregivers: Nutrition
education is the primary component of the dietitian’s role at Hoag
Cancer Institute. It is essential for patients to meet their nutritional
goals in order to heal from therapy and/or avoid recurrence. The dietitian
will provide written and verbal education tailored to each patient’s
specific learning style. We encourage family members to attend for additional
support, since often times it is a family member or caregiver who performs
the shopping and cooking duties.
These services are all available free of charge to Hoag Family Cancer
Institute patients. To learn more about Hoag’s Nutrition Services,
or to schedule an appointment with one of the registered dietitians, please
call 949-764-8369.