What should you know about diet for liver metastases?

Needs can change with appetite, liver function, treatment side effects and plans for an operation or procedure. A cancer dietitian can adapt meals without removing foods unnecessarily.

Liver metastases are cancer deposits that have spread to the liver from another part of the body. They may be associated with reduced appetite, early fullness, nausea, fatigue or weight and muscle loss. Treatment can add taste changes, mouth soreness, diarrhoea or constipation, making a flexible eating plan more useful than rigid restrictions.

Nutrition supports strength and recovery but does not replace oncology treatment. Supplements, concentrated herbal products and high-dose vitamins can interact with medicines or place extra demands on the liver, so the oncology pharmacist or dietitian should check them before use.

Try smaller meals and nourishing snacks across the day if a full plate feels difficult. Include a protein food such as eggs, yoghurt, fish, poultry, beans, lentils or tofu when tolerated, and add energy with foods such as nut butter, avocado, olive oil or full-fat dairy if weight is falling.

Sip fluids regularly; cold drinks or oral rehydration products may be easier during nausea or diarrhoea. Choose soft, moist foods for a sore mouth and plainer foods when smells trigger nausea. Record symptoms and weight changes to help the team target anti-sickness medicine, bowel care or dietetic support.

Before liver surgery or ablation, follow the procedure team's fasting and recovery instructions exactly. If you have jaundice, abdominal swelling, diabetes, kidney problems or difficulty digesting food, obtain an individual plan rather than starting a restrictive diet.

Contact your oncology team promptly if you cannot keep fluids down, pass very little urine, become unusually drowsy or confused, develop new yellowing of the skin or eyes, have rapidly increasing abdominal swelling, or notice ongoing weight loss despite trying to eat. Fever during systemic treatment needs urgent advice through the pathway provided by your cancer service.

Ask whether your recent weight or blood results suggest a nutrition problem, which side effects your planned treatment may cause, whether you need a dietitian referral, and which supplements or herbal products could interfere with your medicines or procedure.