Cancer and chemotherapy are formidable adversaries that millions of individuals around the world confront daily. Cancer, a relentless disease, knows no boundaries, affecting people from all walks of life. It’s a diagnosis that can shake the foundation of one’s existence, but there’s resilience in the face of adversity. Chemotherapy, as a frontline treatment, embodies both hope and challenge. It’s a powerful tool in the fight against cancer, yet it comes with its own physical and emotional trials. The journey through cancer and chemo is a testament to human strength, the unwavering support of loved ones, and the incredible advances in medical science. It’s a journey that teaches us the value of life, the importance of health, and the remarkable capacity of the human spirit to endure and overcome.

Cancer and Chemo

  • In recent years, according to the American Cancer Society’s Global Cancer Facts & Figures, over 12 million new cancer cases were diagnosed each year, and 7.6 million cancer deaths—about 20,000 cancer deaths a day—occurred worldwide.
  • Around 150 people are diagnosed with cancer every hour in the United States. Over a year, that amounts to almost 1.6 million people in the United States alone.
  • One out of every four Americans is diagnosed with cancer each year. This year, about 564,800 Americans are expected to die of cancer—more than 1,500 people daily, day after day, week after week.
  • Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease.
  • One of every four deaths in the United States is from cancer.
  • Cancer is expensive: the health care industry in the United States—which includes doctors, hospitals and clinics, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of medical technology, insurance companies, and so on—comprises around 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or about $1.5 trillion in 2011.
  • Of the million and a half plus American people with cancer, the vast majority opt for treatment by conventional medicine…and at least 75% receive chemotherapy as part of the routine method for dealing with the disease.
  • Chemotherapy, by itself or in conjunction with radiation and surgery, has become the standard treatment for most cancers in conventional medical practice.

The 5-Step Chemotherapy Diet Program

The Chemotherapy Diet Here is a quick summary of the 5-step program developed for cancer patients and their caregivers. I will go through each step and say why it is essential. Then, the rest of this section will be devoted to the nuts and bolts of the diet—what to do, how to do it, when, and why.