Listeria warning to cancer patients Advice for pregnant women on
avoiding soft cheeses and certain other foods should be extended
to cancer patients, according to public health experts. Research
by the Health Protection Agency found cancer patients were at
increased risk of food poisoning from listeria bacteria. The
illness, which is rare, is linked to foods like soft cheeses and
pate. Cancer Research UK said patients undergoing chemotherapy
should be particularly careful. Martin Ledwick, head information
nurse, said: "Currently patients who are receiving high doses of
chemotherapy should be advised to take precautions to avoid
food-borne infections. "This study may suggest that this advice
should be extended to all cancer patients having any type of
treatment that compromises their immunity. "However, as it is
not clear from the work what type of treatments the cancer
patients with listeria were having, it's not certain whether
this precaution is absolutely necessary for all cancer
patients."Food poisoning L