Patient and carer information & resources

Good nutrition is important at all times of your life, but it is especially important in the context of cancer.

Following a healthy, well balanced diet as part of a healthy lifestyle can help prevent a cancer diagnosis.

If you have a cancer diagnosis, then the nutrition needs of your body are increased due to the cancer itself, as well as the treatment. Good nutrition during treatment and in the recovery period is focused on having adequate protein and energy so that you can maintain your weight, your strength and help to minimise side effects and speed up recovery. Once you have recovered from any treatment, the focus of good nutrition shifts back to following a healthy, well balanced diet and lifestyle.

There are many high quality resources available to help guide your nutrition needs at these different time points.

The Victorian Cancer Malnutrition Collaborative (VCMC)

The CanEAT pathway for people with cancer and their carers:
The CanEAT pathway and MST infographic for people with cancer and their carers:
The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST):
Preventing weight loss for people with cancer resource:

Peter Mac Nutrition and Speech Pathology Department

Cancer Council Victoria

Tumour specific resources

Pancreatic cancer

Neuroendocrine tumours

Head & Neck cancers

Enteral feeding and dysphagia