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Cancer and food

Ima
ge
des
crip

Thefoodsweeatcanaffectourriskofdevelopingcertaintypesofcancer.High-energyandhighfatdietscanleadtoobesityandaregenerallythoughttoincreasetheriskofsomecancers.
EnjoyingawidevarietyofnutritiousfoodsasdescribedintheAustralianDietaryGuidelinesmay
helptopreventcancer.

Eatingawidevarietyoffoodsfromeachofthefivefoodgroups,intheamountsrecommended
helpsmaintainahealthyandinterestingdietandprovidesarangeofdifferentnutrientstothe
body.Eatingavarietyoffoodspromotesgoodhealthandcanhelpreducetheriskofdisease.
Thefivefoodgroupsare:

fruit
vegetablesandlegumes/beans
leanmeatsandpoultry,fish,eggs,tofu,nutsandseeds,legumes/beans
grain(cereal)foods,mostlywholegrainand/orhighcerealfibrevarieties
milk,yoghurt,cheeseandalternatives,mostlyreducedfat.

Foodsaregroupedtogetherbecausetheyprovidesimilaramountsofkeynutrients.Forexample,
keynutrientsofthemilk,yoghurt,cheeseandalternativesgroupincludecalciumandprotein.
ThesefoodgroupsmakeuptheAustralianGuidetoHealthyEating.
Dietisjustoneofthelifestylefactorsthatinfluencetheriskofdevelopingcancer.Smoking,
obesity,alcohol,sunexposureandphysicalactivitylevelsarealsoimportant.Althoughsomefoods
canaffectcancerrisk,thereisnoevidencethatspecificfoodscancauseorcurecancer.

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Seven grains a day

Eatingsevenormoreservesdailyofavarietyofgrains,grainproducts,legumes,rootsandtubers
willalsoprovideprotectivebenefitsagainstcancer.Thelessprocessedthegrains,thebetter,so
tryaimforwholegrainfoods.Oats,brownrice,corn,rye,kidneybeansandlentilsareallgood
foodstoconsume.Dietshighinrefinedstarchandrefinedsugarmayincreasetheriskofstomach
cancerandbowelcancer.

Meat and bowel cancer

Thereisnowconvincingscientificevidencethateatingprocessedmeatincreasesbowelcancerrisk.
TheWorldCancerResearchFund(WCRF)hasrecentlyrecommendedthatpeopleavoideating
processedmeat.Processedmeatsincludeanymeatthathasbeenpreservedbycuring,saltingor
smoking,orbyaddingchemicalpreservatives.Theseincludehotdogs,ham,bacon,andsome
sausagesandburgers.
Itisrecommendedthatchildrenarenotgivenprocessedmeats.Thisisbecausemanyofthehabits
wedevelopaschildrenlastintoadulthood.Substitutesforprocessedmeatsthatarerecommended
forchildrenincludefishorleanpoultry,leanmeatsorlow-fatcheese.
Thereisconvincingevidencethatredmeatalsoincreasesapersonsriskofbowelcancer.Itis
recommendedthatindividuals,particularlymen,decreasetheirintakeofredmeat.TheWCRF
recommendslimitingtheamountoffreshredmeatweeattolessthan500gofcooked(or700g
uncooked)redmeataweek.Someresearchsuggeststhateatingburntorcharredmeatmay
increasecancerrisk,buttheevidenceisunclear.
TheAustralianGuidetoHealthyEatingrecommendsconsumingarangeofvarietyoffoodsfrom
thefoodgroupleanmeatsandpoultry,fish,eggs,tofu,nutsandseedsandlegumesandbeans.

Fats and cancer

Therehasbeenagreatdealofinterestinapossiblelinkbetweenfatandcancer.Currentevidence
doesnotindicateadirectlinkbetweenfatintakeandparticulartypesofcancer(withthepossible
exceptionofprostatecancer).However,ahigh-fatdietmayleadtoobesity,whichisariskfactor
forseveralcancers,includingcancersofthecolon,breast,kidney,oesophagus,gallbladderand
endometrium.

Fruits, vegetables and cancer

Eatingfruitandvegetableshaslongbeenknowntoprovidemanyhealthbenefits.Fruitsand
vegetablescontainmanyvitamins,mineralsandantioxidants,whichmayhelptodecreaseyour
riskofcancerinparticularareasofthedigestionsystem,suchasthemouthandstomach.
Evidencehasweakenedoverrecentyearsovertheroleoffruitandvegetablesinpreventing
cancer.Yetfruitsandvegetablesarestillanimportantpartofyourdietandmayplayanindirect
effectofpreventingcancerbecausetheyarerelativelylowinkilojoules(energy)andconsumption
isassociatedwithahealthierweight.

Common cancers and food

Somecommoncancersmaybeaffectedbywhatweeat,suchaslungcancer,breastcancer,
prostatecancerandbowelcancer.

Lung cancer
Lungcanceristheleadingcauseofdeathfromcancerintheworldandsmokingismostly
responsible.Itisthoughtthatcompoundscalledcarotenoids(presentinsignificantamountsin
fruitsandvegetables),aswellasvitaminE,areprobablyresponsibleforsomeofthiseffectwhen
sourcedfromwholefoods.
Recentevidencesuggeststhatcruciferousvegetablessuchascabbage,cauliflower,broccoliand
bokchoyareexcellentvegetablechoices.However,itisrecommendedthatsmokersandnonsmokersenjoyavarietyofvegetablesandfruiteveryday.Whilefruitsandvegetablesmayoffer
somedegreeofprotection,notsmokingisbyfarthebestprevention.

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Breast cancer
Breastcanceristhemostcommontypeofcanceramongwomenintheworld.Thereisan
increasedriskofbreastcancerwithfactorssuchasrapidearlygrowth,greateradultheightand
weightgaininadulthood.Muchoftheriskofdevelopingbreastcancerinvolvesfactorsthat
influenceoestrogenlevelsduringawomansreproductivelife,suchasageofmenarche(first
period),latemenopause,numberofpregnancies,havingthefirstpregnancylateinlifeand
breastfeedingpractices.
Therateofbreastcanceralsoincreaseswithage.Postmenopausalwomenwhoarecarryingtoo
muchweight,particularlyaroundtheirmiddle,havemorethantwicetheaverageriskofbreast
cancer.Dietshighinfoodscontainingmono-unsaturatedfat,suchasoliveoil,canolaoil,some
nutsandseeds,andhighinvegetablesmayreducetherisk.Alcoholconsumptionincreasesthe
risk.

Prostate cancer
ProstatecanceristhemostcommoncancerinAustralianmen.Menovertheageof50areat
greaterrisk.However,itcanbeseeninyoungermenaswell.Vegetables(soy,inparticular)may
decreasetherisk,whileahigh-fatdietthatcomprisesmostlyofanimalfatsources(suchasdairy
products,fattymeatsandtakeawayfoods)mayincreasetherisk.
Lycopeneisapotentantioxidantfoundintomatoes,tomato-basedproducts,watermelonand
strawberriesthatmayhelplowertheriskofprostatecancer.Evidencesuggeststhatconsuming
onetotwoservesoftomatoesperday(whereaserveisacupor75grams)isassociatedwith
reducedriskofprostatecancer.

Bowel cancer
Bowelcancer(colorectalcancer)isthesecondmostcommoncauseofcancer-relateddeathin
Australia.Upto70percentofcasescanbepreventedbyfollowingahealthylifestyle.Keepinga
healthyweight,beingphysicallyactiveandhavingadiethighinvegetablesandfibreare
protective,whileconsumingalargeamountofredmeat,processedmeatandalcoholmayincrease
therisk.

Foods and drinks to limit

Foodsanddrinkstolimitinyourdietorhavelessofinclude:

fattyredmeatsandprocessedmeats
highlyprocessedfoodsthatarelowinfibre
heavilysaltedandpickledfoods
alcohol.

Foods to eat more

Thestrongestprotectiveanti-cancereffecthasbeenshownwith:

vegetables,especiallyrawvegetablesorsalads,suchasleafygreenvegetablesandcarrots
foodshighindietaryfibre,suchasgrainsandcereals
tomatoes
citrusfruits
cruciferousvegetableslikebroccoli,cabbage,Brusselssprouts,bokchoyandotherAsian
greens.

Includemoreofthesevegetablesandfruitsinyourdiet,alongwithothervarieties.

Supplements are not the answer

Resultsofstudiesthatshowaprotectiveeffectoffoodscontainingcertainnutrientsshouldnotbe
takentomeanthatthesenutrients,whenisolatedandtakenassupplements,willprovidethesame
benefitsforcancerprevention.

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Insomecases,therehasbeenanincreasedriskofcancerinthosepeoplewhotakenutrient
supplementsatdoseshigherthantheusualamountofthatnutrientnormallyeateninfoods.For
example,theuseofbeta-caroteneandvitaminEsupplementshasnotbeenproventobeeffective
ineitherpreventionortreatmentoflungcancer.Infact,severalstudieshaveshownthatbetacarotenesupplementsactuallyincreasetheriskoflungcancerinpeoplewhosmoke.

Foods that may increase cancer risk

Whileahigh-energy,low-fibredietmayincreaseapersonsriskofdevelopingcancer,some
individualfoodshavealsobeensingledoutaspotentiallycausingcancer(carcinogenic).These
include:

Artificial sweetenerssuchasaspartame,saccharinandcyclamate.Laboratoryratscan
developbladdercanceriffedhugeamountsofsaccharinorcyclamate,althoughthisisat
levelsthousandsoftimesgreaterthananormaldiet.Internationalstudieshaveshownthat
humansarenotaffectedinthesameway.Artificialsweetenersareconsideredsafetoeat.
Cured, pickled or salty foodsbaconandothercuredorpickledmeatscontaina
substancecallednitrate,whichhasthepotentialtocausecancerinlaboratoryanimals
wheneateninlargedoses.Howthisresearchrelatestohumansisntclear.Tobeonthe
safeside,itisbesttolimittheamountofcuredmeatsinthediet,becausetheyare
generallyhighinfatandsalt.Salthasalsobeenassociatedwithanincreasedriskof
stomachcancerandshouldbeconsumedinlimitedamounts.
Burnt or barbecued foodsagroupofcarcinogenicsubstancescalledpolycyclic
aromatichydrocarbons(PAHs)canbeproducediffoodsareoverheatedorburnt.Although
charredorsmokedfoodscouldcontaintracesofPAHs,expertsagreethattheamountin
theaverageAustraliandietistoolowtobeconsideredasignificantcancerrisk.However,
whencooking,itsbesttouserelativelylowtemperaturemethodswhereverpossible,and
limityourintakeofchar-grilledmeatsandfoods.Low-temperaturecookingmethods
includesteaming,boiling,poaching,stewing,casseroling,braising,bakingandmicrowaving
orroasting.
Peanutssomelaboratoryanimalscandevelopcanceraftereatingpeanutsthatare
contaminatedwithtoxin-producingmoulds.However,peanutssoldinAustraliaare
generallyuncontaminatedandcontaminationisroutinelyscreenedfor.
Alcoholconsumingalcoholincreasestheriskofcancersofthemouth,pharynx,larynx,
oesophagus,breast,bowelandliver.Theriskisevengreaterinthosepeoplewhosmoke.
Evensmallamountsofalcoholcanincreaseyourrisk.Toreducetheirriskofdisease,men
shoulddrinklessthantwostandarddrinksadayandwomenlessthanonestandarddrink
aday.

Treating cancer with food

Whilefoodplaysanimportantroleinpreventingsomecancers,thetherapeuticvalueoffoodin
treatingexistingcancerislessclear.Itistruethatapersonwithcancerneedsexcellentnutritionin
ordertobettercopewiththephysicaldemandsoftheillnessandtherigoursofmedicaltreatment.
Claimsthatparticularfoods,vitaminsormicronutrientscankillcancercellsshouldbeviewedwith
scepticism.Todate,thereislittlescientificproofthataparticularfoodorsupplementcancure
cancerordestroycancercells.
Nutritionforthepersonwithcancerisimportantformanyreasons,including:

Theimmunesystemneedsbolsteringtofightatfullstrength.
Thedietmaybeadjustedtocopewithvarioussymptoms,suchasconstipation,diarrhoea
ornausea.
Lossofappetiteoranincreasedmetabolismmeansthathigh-energyfoodsmayneedtobe
includedinthedailydiet.
Extraproteinmaybeneededtohelppreventlossofmusclefromweightloss.

Where to get help

Yourdoctor
DietitiansAssociationofAustraliaTel.1800812942
NutritionAustralia(Vic)Tel.(03)83415800

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Things to remember

High-fat,low-fibredietsmayincreasetheriskofmanycancersincludingbowel,lung,
prostateanduterinecancers.
Youcanreduceyourriskofdevelopingcancerbyeatingawidevarietyofnutritiousfoods
asdescribedintheAustralianGuidetoHealthyEating.
Eventhoughdietcaninfluenceyourriskofdevelopingcancer,thereislittleevidencethat
specialfoodscanbeusedtocureexistingcancers.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

DeakinUniversity-SchoolofExerciseandNutritionSciences
Contentonthiswebsiteisprovidedforeducationandinformationpurposesonly.Information
aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto
replaceadvicefromyourdoctororotherregisteredhealthprofessional.Contenthasbeen
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fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions.
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