Plant-based Diet, is it helpful?

We did a lot of research and diet changes. Ultimately I think you really have to do your homework and follow your gut. There are many different theories on things that can help you. My son is young, disgnosed st 17, now 19. But wisdom comes early when you are told you have cancer. I heard him tell an older woman that she was going to hear a LOT of things from people. He told her to not feel bad and only do what felt right. Very good advice! He chooses to send all his blood work to a natural dr just for supplements and diet support. He eats very clean and almost zero sugar. He eats no refined foods. But he eats what his body craves and he eats variety. Losing weight is also a slippery slope when you need treatments! Be careful in plant based diets if weight loss is a problem. It is for my son. Anyway, there is no perfect path here. We all just feel our way through big decisions and do our best. No judgements on how anyone does cancer!!

Kerri

I agree with Kerri. Before my recurrence my doctor suggested some books for me due to my hx of melanoma, high risk of breast cancer, colon polyps at an early age etc. I read them and immediately went on a plant based diet. Lost 25 pounds which I didn’t need to lose , but cholesterol, BP,etc all improved drastically. Mammograms started coming back clear and do did my last colonoscopy BUT I did have melanoma recurrence (7 years after initial ) did plant diet keep mel at bay longer than if I hadn’t eaten differently? I don’t know. Regardless, my body is healthier now and I feel like a healthy body is better able to fight. I feel like it can’t hurt, but I’m used to it and enjoy it. Good luck.

If you search this forum for "diet", you'll see little consensus.  I made no real dietary changes since my stage IV diagnosis in 2013 (except when I had colitis as a side effect!).  I recently (Jan) switched to a (mostly) whole-foods, plant-based diet.  Not so much for melanoma, but taking a shot to see if I get relief from arthritis as a PD-1 side effect–as a supplement to (and not a replacement for) meds.  (For a medical perspective, my rhematologist does not believe that a vegan diet will improve arthritis.)  So far, hasn't helped with the arthritis, but I do "feel" better (I think) and have lost a few pounds.  My GI tract is also functioning better than it had been.  Good resources for this diet include VB6 by Mark Bittman, Plant Pure (movie (free on Amazon Prime), frozen meals and cookbooks) and Engine 2 (books (though the writing is like "vegan for dummies") and products sold at Whole Foods ("meh" once you get used to the taste (no oil)).  Good luck.

The advice given by MomofJake is some of the best advice you will ever get. You have to do what feels right for you. My husband (stage 4 metastatic melanoma) has had his first treatment of ipilimumab and nivolumab. He will be getting his port placed tomorrow and his second treatment on April 3rd. While we were waiting for the results of the BRAF testing, and waiting for insurance approval, etc. I did a lot of research. Numerous studies point to the importance of good, diverse gut bacteria. The most recent study that I am aware of was presented in late February in Orlando at the Clinical Immuno-Oncology Symposium by researchers from MD Anderson, but my husband and I had already decided when I read this, to try a plant based diet based on previous research,  There are many opinions on how exactly to increase the levels of beneficial gut bacteria, but a largely plant-based diet, eliminating sugar, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods in general, seems most logical to us. We rely on fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, buttermilk, Kefir, and Kombucha to help boost good gut bacteria. We also supplement with probiotics. I say we, because although he is the melanoma patient, we are in this together and I wasn't going to suggest that he do something that I myself wasn't willing to do. I use stevia, a natural plant-based sweetener, in my coffee, and when I make the occasional treat. We have a lot of fruit smoothies with added soy protein powder,, and we choose to include eggs and occasionally a small amount of fish or chicken.  It really hasn't been that hard, and has done much to help with acid reflux which we both experienced., So far his symptoms have been minimal. I can't swear that it is due to diet, but  evidence does suggest a connection. 

https://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/2017/02/gut-bacteria-associated-with-cancer-immunotherapy-response-in-melanoma.html