Diarrhea has always been one of the challenges that cancer patients has to face while they are going through treatment. Sometimes, it is a challenge they experience after the treatment is done. Either way, a great number of people have this common problem. Is the solution the same? No, not really. Even with diet recommendations, we would recommend different things based on the type of situation that the patient is facing. For example, when a patient is undergoing treatment for colon cancer – suggesting softer foods, less fibrous and perhaps more blended nutrition might help with the irritation of the mucosal lining of the colon. However, if diarrhea persist post treatment and post healing period, we would suggest more dietary fiber along with plenty of water in order to bulk our stool for better bowel movements.

Regardless of situations, here are some basic anti-diarrheal tips that can work:

Probiotics

Probiotics can help with maintaining gut mucosa, help with nutrient absorption and defend against bacterial pathogens. It mediates by reduction of pH, secretion of antimicrobial peptides, inhibition of bacterial invasion and adhesion to the gut epithelium.

Probiotics also enhances barrier integrity and function by improving the production of short chain fatty acids such as butyrate. Lastly, probiotics have a strong immunomodulation effect by acting on the immune cells.

Roughly 20 trials have published on probiotic and its safety during chemotherapy treatment. The trials are usually done around 2 weeks and it is deemed to be safe during chemotherapy.

Most promising trial for probiotic uses are with colorectal cancer patients and lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Subjects receiving the probiotics had fewer episodes of high-grade diarrhea and less abdominal discomfort. Those results correlated with less hospital care and fewer need to adjust chemotherapy treatment due to bowel toxicity.

Activated Charcoal

This is usually used with diarrhea associated with irinotecan with good safety profile. It does not disrupt the chemotherapy and it can reduce the frequency and severity of the diarrhea. However, activated charcoal has such a strong adsorption effect that it may bind the other type of medications that may be in the gastrointestinal tract at the same time. This will drastic decrease the desired effect of other medication, whatever they may be. Therefore, it is recommended to take at least two hours away from other types of medications.