August 14, 2007
"Western" diet linked to increased risk of colon cancer recurrence
SUGGESTED INTRO:
An unhealthy diet is a well know risk factor for colon cancer. Now a new study suggests that it could also cause the cancer to return.
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(NATS of meat sizzling)
MP3: sizzle
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Diets high in red meat, fat and refined grains and sugar have long been linked to colon cancer. The so-called "Western" diet may taste good, but researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston say it may put colon cancer patients at greater risk for relapse.
Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt (MY — ER — HARDT) is the study's lead author.
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Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt
MP3: findings
"People who had more of the Western pattern diet had about a three and a half times risk of having recurrence from their colon cancer or dying than people who had a lower intake."
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In the study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Meyerhardt and his colleagues looked at the dietary records of more than 1,000 colon cancer patients. They found two major dietary patterns: "Western," which was high in red meat and fat, and "prudent," which included high consumption of fruits and vegetables, poultry, and fish.
While the Western diet carried a higher risk for cancer relapse, the prudent diet did not significantly lower the risk of cancer relapse or mortality.
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Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt
MP3: more data
"What we do need is more data to know exactly what diet to recommend, but it does seem that an unhealthy diet may be detrimental to people's outcomes with colon cancer."
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However, the researchers stress that until there are further studies that pinpoint the best diet, it is clear that by eating a prudent and healthy diet, people avoid the harmful effects of the Western diet.
