The findings of a latest study that men who closely followed a Mediterranean-style diet (including fish, boiled potatoes, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, and minimal juices) had significantly lower risk for aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) throw up a new option for a preventive strategy.
The results of the Spanish study have to be read in conjunction with the fact that the four most common cancers occurring worldwide are lung, female breast, bowel and prostate cancer. These four account for around four in 10 of all cancers diagnosed worldwide, according to Cancer Research UK. Lung, breast and bowel (including anus), stomach and prostate cancers have been amongst the most commonly diagnosed worldwide since 1975. More than 1.1mn cases of prostate cancer were recorded in 2012, accounting for around 8% of all new cancer cases and 15% in men, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International.
Going by the latest study published in The Journal of Urology, men who closely followed a Mediterranean-style diet had significantly lower risk for aggressive PCa (Gleason score above 6 or clinical stage T2b to T4 disease) than men adhering to a “prudent” diet or Western diets. In the Multicase-Control Study on Common Tumours in Spain case-control study, researchers compared the diets of 733 patients with histologically-confirmed PCa and 1,229 healthy men (mean age 66 years) from seven provinces in Spain. After completing a 154-item food frequency questionnaire, men’s dietary intake and habits were graded according to how closely they matched the 3 dietary patterns. Western diets commonly contain high-fat dairy products, refined grains, processed meat, high-calorie drinks, sweets, convenience foods and sauces, and a low intake of low-fat dairy products and whole grains. A prudent diet centres on low fat dairy products, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and juices.
High adherers to a Mediterranean-style diet had a significant mean 33% lower risk for PCa above Gleason score 6 and a 51% lower risk for clinical stage T2b to T4 disease. The other dietary patterns showed little or no significant associations with aggressive disease. “Our results show that a diet oriented towards the prevention of aggressive tumours in the prostate should probably include important elements of the Mediterranean diet such as fish, legumes, and olive oil, and suggest that a high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains might not be enough,” explained lead investigator Dr Beatriz Perez-Gomez, of the Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid, according to a news release from the American Urological Association, which publishes The Journal of Urology.
According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with about 14mn new cases in 2012. The number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next two decades. Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and was responsible for 8.8mn deaths in 2015. Globally, nearly one in six deaths is due to cancer. Approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. Around one-third of deaths from cancer are due to the five leading behavioural and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use. So the message is loud and clear – cut unhealthy habits and adopt a healthy diet.
