Colorectal Cancer
Lee Swanson - Research Update
Dear Friends and Valued Customers, Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) almost one million new cases are diagnosed every year. In the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 148,810 new cases (108,070 colon and 40,740 rectal) of colorectal cancer will be detected this year. NIH also predicts 49,960 deaths from the disease in 2008. A diet high in fat, refined carbohydrates and animal protein is reported to increase the risk. WHO reports that genetics is responsible for less than five percent of new colorectal cancer cases, showing the importance of diet to potentially reduce the risk. Today I am presenting two studies, both involving colorectal cancer. The first shows that an increased intake of antioxidant flavonols may substantially cut the risk of developing colorectal cancer. The second study suggests that high levels of vitamin D in colon cancer patients increase their odds of survival. I know you will find this information to be very informative and helpful. As always, I wish you the very best of health. Lee Swanson ************************************
Flavonols may help cut colorectal cancer risk
An increased intake of antioxidant flavonols from tea, onions, beans and apples may slash the risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 76%, a new study suggests.
Analysis of data from a randomized dietary intervention trial showed that flavonols—a sub-group of flavonoids—significantly reduced risk, according to findings published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.
The study adds to a growing body of science linking increased consumption of flavonol-rich foods, such as fruit and vegetables, to risk reductions for a range of cancers, including lung, pancreatic and breast cancer.
Flavonoids, found in certain wine, fruits, vegetables, tea, nuts and chocolate, have received extensive research due to their potent antioxidant activity and purported health benefits. Many have also been implicated in possible protection against diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The researchers, led by Gerd Bobe from the National Cancer Institute, used data from the updated flavonoid database from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to quantify the intake of 29 individual flavonoids, total flavonoids, and six flavonoid subgroups among participants of the Polyp Prevention Trial.
The trial studied the effect of a low-fat, high-fiber diet, rich in fruit and vegetables on the recurrence of pre-cancerous polyps in the colon and rectum. Over 2,000 men and women were randomly assigned to either the “healthy” diet, or a normal diet.
Using food frequency questionnaires, Bobe and co-workers analyzed dietary consumption of the polyphenols and, after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, fiber intake, BMI, sex and the use of regular non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medication, they found that an increased intake of flavonols was linked to a 76% reduction in the recurrence of advanced tumors.
“Our data suggest that a flavonol-rich diet may decrease the risk of advanced adenoma recurrence,” Bobe and co-workers concluded.
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 17:1344-1353, 2008
Vitamin D may play key role in colon cancer survival
Colon cancer patients with high blood levels of vitamin D boost their survival odds by 48%, a new study suggests.
Previous studies have indicated that high levels of vitamin D may reduce the risk of getting colon cancer by 51%. But until now, no studies have looked at whether vitamin D could improve survival among people who already had the disease.
“Vitamin D has been studied for many years, and there is a lot of data that it could be implicated in cancer pathogenesis,” lead researcher Dr. Kimmie Ng explained. “Vitamin D is involved in a lot of things that can go wrong in cancer,” she noted.
In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ng’s team collected data on 304 patients diagnosed with colon cancer between 1991 and 2002. These patients participated in either the Nurses Health Study or the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
All those in the study had their vitamin D levels measured at least two years before being diagnosed with colon cancer. The patients’ health was tracked until they died, or until 2005, whichever came first. During the follow-up period, 123 patients died, 96 of them from colon or rectal cancer, the researchers reported.
The team found that patients with the highest levels of vitamin D were 48% less likely to die from colon cancer or any other cause, compared with those with the lowest levels. For colon cancer alone, those with the highest vitamin D levels were 39% less likely to die, compared to those with the lowest levels of vitamin D.
Journal of Clinical Oncology 26(18):2984-2991, 2008
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