My Bladder Cancer Fight

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The Role Of Vegetables In The Prevention Of Cancer

The Role Of Fruit In The Prevention Of Cancer

Add Or Remove These Types Of Foods In Your Diet

Foods And Cancer

The Role Of Food In The Prevention Of Cancer

While the link between diet and health is well established in the literature, continued research seeks to address just which dietary components are biologically active in health promotion and specific disease protection. Here, Anna Tilley looks at an example of a particular area of this massive domain – the role of vitamins in the progression of, and protection against, cancer, which is a major field of active study.

Role of Vitamins

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States as well as most developed countries. Although advances in treatment have afforded tremendous benefits to large numbers of patients, effective primary prevention measures could, in theory, have an even greater public health impact. Diet has been postulated to account for as much as 35% of all human cancers, raising the possibility that specific constituents of diet with cancer chemopreventive effects could be identified. Risk reductions of even 20-30%, which is the most likely magnitude of any protective effect of nutritional agents, could have a significant public health impact on so common and serious a disease.

35% of cancers postulated by diet

The term vitamin comes from ‘vital amine’ and refers to a group of substances vital for growth and development. Along with minerals, they play an important role in several of the body’s metabolic pathways and are essential for the maintenance of good health and the prevention of a number of diseases. Although only required in small amounts, the body is unable to manufacture them and thus they must be obtained from the diet.

The term vitamin

Investigating vitamins A, E, C, D, as well as other vitamins and vitamin-like molecules, Vitamins and Cancer Prevention reviews evidence involving the correlation between vitamins and cancer prevention and examines how vitamins can be used as deterrents to neoplastic transformation in cells, experimental animals, and humans. This timely volume includes clinical trials of vitamins as therapeutic and preventive agents, studies of the roles of selected vitamins in mediating cellular transformation events, and preliminary investigations of the potential effects of vitamin deficiency and therapy in cancer patients.

Vitamins A, E, C, D

The evidence is in and it is overwhelming: the micronutrients found in certain foods and supplements can have a positive and powerful effect in the battle to prevent cancer. For those with cancer, these same micronutrients can enhance the beneficial effects of conventional cancer treatments, reduce the toxic side effects of those treatments, and improve the long-term prognosis. Fight Cancer with Vitamins and Supplements explains the latest studies in this cutting-edge field, gives you a simple nutritional program to follow, and separates the facts from the myths on the most promising anticancer compounds, including the antioxidants coenzyme-Q10 and lipoic acid and herbs such as green tea and garlic. It explains everything from the surprising role of selenium in cancer prevention to the reason why many vitamins in foods are destroyed during storage.

Micro nutrients

Michael Gould (University of Wisconsin-Madison) continued the theme of cancer chemoprevention by vegetables and fruits, especially chemicals called mono-terpenes from citrus peel. By weight, 95% of the oil in an orange peel is a monoterpene called limonene, which is now being evaluated as a cancer therapeutic agent in the initial phase of a clinical trial. Based on positive results as a chemo-preventive and therapeutic agent in animals, another monoterpene—perillyl alcohol—has shown promising results in treating human cancer and is also being assessed in the initial phase of a clinical trial. Some clinical data support this strategy. For example, lung cancer patients who got vitamins C and E and beta-carotene in addition to standard chemotherapy had a better response than those who got only chemotherapy.

Chemo. prevention by Fruits and Vegetables

Can long-term antioxidant supplementation reduce oxidative damage and thereby reduce cancer incidence? Currently, there is intense scientific investigation of this but so far there is no conclusive evidence that dietary supplementation with extra oxidants reduces the risk of developing cancer. While a number of surveys have suggested an association between diets rich in ?- carotene – a precursor of vitamin A – and a lower risk of many types of cancer, other studies have produced conflicting evidence, raising the additional possibility that antioxidants may be harmful under certain conditions.

Antioxidant Supplementation

Antioxidants are commonly found in vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. There are many phytochemicals that fall into this category including carotenoids which are founds in carrots, yams, cantaloupe, butternut squash, and apricots. The term antioxidant is often associated with vitamins and cancer protection. Antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids. Free radicals are reactive compounds that can damage normal cells.

Antioxidants

Sulfides are found in garlic and onions and may have a role in reducing risk of stomach cancer. These nutrients are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Due to their protective association in food, researchers are trying to determine if this benefit exists with supplemental phytochemicals.

Sulfides

Vitamin E, one of the body’s main antioxidants, is important in cell maintenance and also plays an active role in the maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular and circulatory system. Researchers at Rochester recently suggested that vitamin E potentially slows prostate cancer growth in two ways: first, by preventing one protein attaching itself to the male hormone androgen – known to contribute to the growth of cancer cells – and, secondly, by halting the production of prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Vitamin E

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are two of the major treatment modalities used in the management of human cancer. Oxidants such as radiation are known mutagens, so it could follow that antioxidants such as vitamin C might function as an antimutagen. Several studies have indicated potential interactions between antioxidant vitamin supplementation and both of these active cancer treatments.

Radiation and Chemotherapy

Acknowledging the abundance of confirmed and consistent evidence from nutritional epidemiological and experimental studies, many of the experts echoed the familiar recommendation that the consumption of a diet with ample fruits and vegetables offers protection against a wide variety of cancers. Fruits and vegetables contain numerous cancer chemopreventive substances, including phytochemicals (e.g. Additionally, tea contains a class of polyphenols that may inhibit cancer. Behavior is also an important determinant of cancer risk, which can be decreased by caloric restriction, physical activity, and refraining from smoking. Other risk factors for cancer include the consumption of red meat and saturated fat. Some phytochemicals and vitamins have become recognized as promising therapeutic agents in cancer, including monoterpenes from citrus peel and vitamins C and E.

Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables

To be continued in next post.

 

Posted on June 5th, 2008 by Neil
Filed under: Bladder Cancer - Background, Cancer Prevention, My Cancer, Nutrition