Healthy Diet Guards Against Return of Colon Cancer

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The study was funded partially by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and Pfizer Oncology.

Two major dietary patterns were identified: Western (high intakes of meat, fat, refined grains and dessert) and prudent (lots of fruits and vegetables, poultry and fish).

A Western diet was associated with a significantly worst prognosis, both in terms of recurrence and death, than a prudent diet.

Compared with patients ranked in the lowest 20 percent of a Western dietary pattern, those in the highest 20 percent had almost three-and-a-half times the risk of recurrence or death. Those in the highest 20 percent of a Western diet were also 2.9 times more likely to see their cancer recur than those in the lower 20 percent.

"There's a biological basis for this. The Western type of diet affects insulin levels and insulin-like growth factors that help promote cancer's growth and metastases," Meyerhardt explained. "The magnitude of the effect was surprising, however."

More information

Visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute for more on colon and rectal cancer.