Western diet linked to colon cancer recurrence

August 15, 2007 in Cancer Prevention, Healthy Eating, Nutrition Topics in the News

Western diet linked to colon cancer recurrence

Colon cancer survivors are three times more likely to suffer a recurrence if they consume a typical "Western" diet that emphasizes red and processed meats, sweets, French fries and refined grains.  

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, tracked the diets of 1,009 people with advanced colon cancer (stage III) for five years. Subjects who ate a high-fat "Western" diet were three times more to suffer cancer recurrence or death than those who ate less of those foods.

Colon cancer is the second cause of cancer death in Canada. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that one in 14 men and one in 16 women are expected to develop colon cancer during their lifetime.  

Previous studies have shown that a high-fat diet increases a person's risk of developing colon cancer. However, this is the first study that examines diet and its impact on colon cancer recurrence.

For more information about this study - and nutrition tips to help prevent colon cancer - read Leslie's Canada AM interview.

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