All dietitians at Roswell Park are Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, and they’re an important part of your medical team. They can make personalized recommendations to help you meet your nutritional needs so you can manage any side effects of treatment and stay healthy into the future. They will explain the diet therapy prescribed by your doctor, give you tips on healthy eating to help lower your cancer risk through good nutrition, and connect you to reliable sources of nutrition information.
All members of our clinical nutrition team have earned — or are preparing to earn — their credentials as board-certified specialists in oncology (cancer) nutrition. These credentials are listed as RDN and CSO after the dietitians’ names.
Why Does Certification Matter?
Cancer patients have special nutritional needs, which vary from person to person. The CSO credential indicates that a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist has completed extensive specialized training in the care of cancer patients.
To earn the CSO credential, a candidate must first maintain Registered Dietitian Nutritionist status with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for two years and complete at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience in oncology nutrition. Then the candidate must pass a rigorous exam given by the CDR that covers a range of topics, including side effects of the disease; side effects of treatment; medications and supplements; diet modification; and food safety guidelines, among many others.
To keep pace with changes in science and technology, Registered Dietitian Nutritionists must continually update their knowledge and skills. They must complete continuing education courses every year to maintain their RDN credential and pass the CDR exam in oncology nutrition every five years to maintain their CSO credential.
Request to see a Dietitian
You can receive individualized nutrition counseling by asking your medical team here at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to order a nutrition consultation.
How We Can Help
Our team can provide:
Assessment of your personal nutrient needs throughout your cancer care. You will have different needs and goals before and during cancer treatment than you will after treatment.
Pre-treatment nutrition screening to assess your ability to undergo upcoming treatment such as surgery or transplant safely.
Oral liquid nutrition supplement recommendations such as Ensure, if needed.
Guidance with food choices customized to help you meet your individual nutrition needs/goals and promote a healthy eating lifestyle during and after your cancer treatment.
Strategies to minimize symptoms of nausea, constipation, taste changes and difficulty with chewing or swallowing.
Tips to promote fluid intake and avoid dehydration.
Education to help you distinguish credible nutrition information from advertising hype regarding fad diets, supplements and herbals.
A path forward so you can make healthier lifestyle choices, achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and aim for a higher level of wellness.