Carefully chosen nutritional changes can slow the progression of prostate cancer without immediate medical intervention, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) found that a diet low in omega-6 fatty acids and high in omega-3, combined with fish oil supplements, could reduce cell growth cancers in patients who monitor the cancer's progress instead of treating it, an approach called active surveillance.
“This is an important step in understanding how diet can potentially influence prostate cancer outcomes,” Dr. William Aronson, professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine in Chicago, said in a statement. at UCLA and lead author of the study.
Monitoring the multiplication of cancer cells
The double-blind study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncologylooked at 100 men with low-risk or favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer, which falls between the low-risk and high-risk categories, and who opted for active surveillance instead of a immediate treatment. This means they chose to monitor the cancer closely rather than immediately undergo treatment such as surgery or radiation therapy.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States and is currently the second leading cause of cancer death in this population. While age is the most common risk factor, other factors contribute, including being African American and having a family history of the disease.
Participants were randomly assigned to continue their usual diet or follow a diet low in omega-6 and high in omega-3, supplemented with fish oil, for one year.
The researchers then tracked changes in levels of a biomarker called the Ki-67 index, which indicates how quickly cancer cells multiply and is a key indicator of cancer progression, spread (metastasis), and survival. overall.
High Omega-3, Low Omega-6 Group Shows Slower Cancer Growth
The study showed that the group that followed the low-omega-6, high-omega-3 diet, supplemented with fish oil, had a 15% decrease in Ki-67 index. On the other hand, the control group presented an increase of 24% in this same index.
The researchers did not observe differences in other cancer growth markers often used to track the progression of prostate cancer, such as Gleason grade, which measures the difference between cancer cells in a sample of biopsy and normal prostate cells.
“This significant difference suggests that dietary changes may help slow the growth of cancer, which could delay or even prevent the need for more aggressive treatments,” Dr. Aronson said in the release.
Oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fish, krill, cod liver, and algae oils. Algae oil is a vegetarian option derived from algae. Foods rich in omega-3 include oily fish, nuts and green leafy vegetables. On the other hand, sources of omega-6 fatty acids are sunflower, safflower, soybean, sesame and corn oils.
The researchers say, however, that additional research is needed to confirm the long-term benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and reduced omega-6 intake in the management of prostate cancer.
“Many men want to make lifestyle changes, including diet, to better manage their cancer and prevent disease progression,” Dr. Aronson said. “Our results suggest that something as simple as a dietary adjustment could potentially slow cancer growth and extend the time before more aggressive interventions are needed.” »
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