Eating After CRS/HIPEC: What Patients and Caregivers Wish They Knew
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
Turner K, Alishahi Tabriz A, Su RC, et al. Managing Nutrition After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC): A Qualitative Study of Colorectal Cancer Survivors’ and Caregivers’ Experiences. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2026;126(7):156323. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2026.156323.
What did the researchers study?
Researchers wanted to better understand the nutrition challenges patients and caregivers experience after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for colorectal cancer that has spread to the peritoneum.
CRS/HIPEC is an extensive treatment, and patients can experience significant weight loss and nutrition-related symptoms during recovery. While nutrition is an important part of healing, less is known about how patients and caregivers actually manage eating, food preparation, and nutrition guidance once they return home.
The study included 20 colorectal cancer survivors who had undergone CRS/HIPEC within the previous 3 to 12 months and 10 caregivers. Researchers conducted individual interviews by videoconference and asked participants about their experiences managing nutrition after surgery.
What did they find?
Researchers identified four main challenges reported by patients and caregivers.
Nutrition symptoms were more difficult and lasted longer than expected. Patients described problems such as diarrhea, feeling full quickly, and pain. For some, these symptoms made it difficult to eat enough or return to their previous eating habits.
Everyday tasks involving food became more difficult. Patients reported challenges not only with eating, but also with shopping for groceries and preparing meals. These difficulties sometimes led to frustration and anxiety during recovery.
Caregivers had difficulty putting nutrition advice into practice. Caregivers often played an important role in shopping, cooking, and helping patients manage symptoms, but some struggled to translate general nutrition recommendations into meals that worked for the patient. They expressed a desire for more individualized resources, including recipes and meal plans tailored to a patient's specific surgery and needs, such as having a colostomy.
Access to a registered dietitian nutritionist mattered. The timing and continuity of dietitian support influenced how prepared patients and caregivers felt to manage nutrition on their own. Participants' experiences suggested that nutrition support may be most useful when it begins early and continues throughout recovery.
Why does this matter?
Nutrition after CRS/HIPEC is about more than simply knowing what foods to eat. Patients may be coping with changes in appetite, bowel function, pain, early fullness, weight loss, and the physical demands of recovering from major surgery—all while trying to shop for and prepare meals.
This study highlights the important role caregivers often play in that process and suggests that both patients and caregivers may benefit from earlier, more proactive, and more individualized nutrition support.
The findings also suggest that general nutrition instructions may not be enough. Guidance that takes into account a patient's specific surgery, symptoms, bowel changes, and ability to prepare food may be more useful during recovery.
Because this was a qualitative study involving a relatively small group of patients and caregivers at a single cancer center, the findings should not be interpreted as proving that a particular nutrition program improves outcomes. The researchers recommend future studies to test whether early, proactive dietitian counseling and tailored nutrition education can improve recovery after CRS/HIPEC.
Key Takeaways
Nutrition-related symptoms after CRS/HIPEC may be more severe and last longer than patients and caregivers expect.
Patients reported challenges including diarrhea, early fullness, and pain, which could make eating difficult.
Grocery shopping, preparing meals, and eating can all become challenging during recovery.
Caregivers may need more practical, individualized resources to help them prepare appropriate meals and manage nutrition-related symptoms.
Nutrition recommendations may be more helpful when they are tailored to the patient's specific surgery and needs, including changes such as a colostomy.
Early and ongoing support from a registered dietitian nutritionist may help patients and caregivers feel better prepared to manage nutrition after CRS/HIPEC.
More research is needed to determine which nutrition interventions are most effective for patients recovering from CRS/HIPEC.
