Mediterranean Diet May Help Stop Breast Cancer Coming Back, Analyze Says
Out of 199 females asked to eat lots of fruit, veggies, fish and olive oil in Italian trial , none suffered recurrence in three years
Eating a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and olive oil, may help prevent breast cancer returning, according to a study presented at a major international cancer conference.
Lifestyle whether people are physically active or not and being overweight are known risk factors for breast cancer, but there is increasing interest in whether particular feeing habits play a part in its instance and recurrence.
The study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology( ASCO) meeting in Chicago is a trial in Italy which compared the outcomes for 307 women who had been treated for early breast cancer. One group of 199 girls were asked to eat a Mediterranean diet, involving four portions of veggies, three pieces of fruit and one serve of grains a day, together with four or more servings of fish each week, some red and processed meat and plenty of olive oil. They were allowed up to one alcoholic drink a day.
The other group of 108 females were asked to eat their normal diet, but given advice on healthy food by a dietician.
The cancer researchers at Piacenza hospital, Italy, found that after three years, 11 girls from different groups eating a normal diet suffered a return of their breast cancer, while none of those eating a Mediterranean diet did.
Experts say the study is small and has limitations, but raises issues of great interest. The whole topic of lifestyle interventions for breast cancer survivors is a very important one. There is substantial research going on into what we should be recommend, told Dr Erica Mayer, an ASCO expert in breast cancer, deputy prof at Harvard Medical School and director of clinical research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the US.
But the results of studies to date have been conflicting. It is not clear whether there is a specific diet or foods to eat or not to eat to prevent recurrence, she told. Physical activity, on the other hand, is very beneficial, helping to prevent cancer both resulting and recurring.
The signals so far from research into womens feeing habits and breast cancer probably reflect weight loss rather than diet, she said. On this particular examine there were issues with the methodology. They dont say if this is randomised. People were asked to participate in one diet or the other. There is no information about the activity level or altered in weight which for most of the lifestyle research one needs to be aware of, she said.
Cancer charities said more research was required. The preliminary results of this small analyze suggest that a Mediterranean diet could lower the risk of breast cancer returning, but wed need much longer follow up than three years to confirm the diets impact, said Prof Arnie Purushotham, Cancer Research UKs senior clinical consultant. Further surveys with more women are needed to understand more about potential impacts that diet can have on breast cancer survival and the biological reasons behind this.
Lady Delyth Morgan, the chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, told: This examine adds to increasingly interesting deliberations about how lifestyle factors might influence breast cancer recurrence. However, we still dont have enough proof to demonstrate a strong is connected with any particular food type and a persons breast cancer returning.
We need to see results from longer-term examines before we can give specific diet advice to breast cancer patients. In the meantime we do know that a varied, balanced diet for general health and well-being, as well as being physically active, can be beneficial to breast cancer patients.
Read more: www.theguardian.com
Mediterranean Diet May Help Stop Breast Cancer Coming Back, Analyze Says
Mediterranean Diet May Help Stop Breast Cancer Coming Back, Analyze Says
Mediterranean Diet May Help Stop Breast Cancer Coming Back, Analyze Says
Mediterranean Diet May Help Stop Breast Cancer Coming Back, Analyze Says
Mediterranean Diet May Help Stop Breast Cancer Coming Back, Analyze Says