New clinical practice guideline on safe eating for children during cancer treatment

Posted on 12 March 2025

A new internationally developed clinical practice guideline recommends joyful eating during childhood cancer treatment. Yes, food needs to be safe, but there's limited value in the "neutropenic diet", an eating plan initially designed to prevent infection.

CRD's Prof Bob Phillips, Director of the Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre (CSCRC), worked with international colleagues on a guideline led by POGO (Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario) into the value of restricted diets during cancer treatment and after stem-cell transplants.

The team recommend against a previously established dietary approach which sought to minimise the chance of microbial contamination of food, but had little or no effect in clinical practice. By sticking to safe, rather than heavily restricted feeding approaches, children will be able to experience a greater range of foods safely, which is of key importance when tastes and appetites are altered by chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.

This research is part of new guideline collaboration between POGO and the CSCRC.

A webinar will take place to outline the guideline, and how it might be implemented, on 19 March at 5pm UK time: register for the webinar