A group of scientists has revealed that there are some common everyday food items that could be linked to colon cancer. According to recent surveys, there has been a significant surge in this cancer among the younger generations in the last few decades.
While speaking about the recent study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the group of experts revealed that they have tracked at least 1,625 patients with colorectal cancer that had spread to the nearby lymph glands but not beyond.
The scientists conducted a study to determine how often these patients consumed the food items that could be linked to the cancer. According to the research, these items fall under 18 food groups, nine of which were pro-inflammatory. The other nine were considered anti-inflammatory.
The experts discovered through a three-year-long study that colon cancer patients in the top 20% of the pro-inflammatory diets had a higher risk, at least 36%, of dying from the disease. On the other hand, those who consumed anti-inflammatory food had a much lower risk.
In addition, the top 20% of patients also had an 87% higher risk of death than the bottom 20%. This study shows that diet plays a crucial role in impacting your ability to exercise. Those who consumed the least inflammatory food items and maintained their utmost physical fitness had at least a 63% lower risk of dying from bowel cancer.
“We need to be essentially prescribing healthy diet and exercise. The combination of the two is synergistic,” said Julie Gralow, SCO president and a top cancer specialist.
Speaking about the new findings, Dr. Catherine Elliott, the director of research at Cancer Research UK, also said, “This study adds to interesting emerging evidence about the role of inflammation in the progression of colon cancer.”
The doctor told MailOnline, “We need more high-quality research like this to help us uncover more about how our diet influences cancer outcomes.”
Inflammatory foods are linked with higher colon cancer risk. https://t.co/Pcwc80VDhL #HarvardHealth pic.twitter.com/EjDlAWeeiu
— Harvard Health (@HarvardHealth) October 15, 2019
According to the experts, our overall diet is far more important than the single food items we are consuming when it comes to colon cancer. Dr. Catherine added, “A healthy, balanced diet includes eating lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy sources of protein like beans and chicken. Cutting down on processed and red meats and foods high in fat, sugar, and salt also helps.”
The new findings also suggest that consuming white, packaged bread regularly for lunch or breakfast could also increase the risk of dying from colon cancer. Other pro-inflammatory foods that could pose significant risks are processed meats like ham, bacon, and sausages. Additionally, sugary beverages and refined carbohydrates like white pasta could also lower the survival rate.
“Ultra-processed foods increase inflammation and colon cancer risk while anti-inflammatory diets offer protective benefits. Dietary intervention must play a role in preventing cancer,” concluded the experts of Maimonides Medical Center in New York, who participated in the recent study.
