Modifying Diets May Curb Prostate Cancer Progression in Certain Individuals: Research
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New Delhi, Dec 15 (NationPress) A diet low in omega-6 and high in omega-3 fatty acids, paired with fish oil supplements, has the potential to greatly diminish the growth rate of prostate cancer cells in men facing early-stage disease, as indicated by a recent study.
The investigation, conducted by the University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences, provides fresh insights that dietary modifications can significantly influence the deceleration of cancer cell growth in patients who are under routine cancer surveillance but have not initiated medical treatment.
The results, featured in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, reveal that “simple dietary adjustments could potentially impede cancer progression,” remarked Dr. William Aronson, Professor of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
Such dietary alterations may assist in “prolonging the period before more intensive interventions become necessary,” the researcher added.
To ascertain the impact of diet and supplements on prostate cancer management, the research team executed a prospective clinical trial involving 100 men diagnosed with low-risk or favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer who opted for active surveillance.
Participants were randomly assigned to maintain their regular diet or to adhere to a low omega-6, high omega-3 diet supplemented with fish oil for a duration of one year.
Those in the intervention group received personalized dietary counseling aimed at achieving a beneficial balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fats, empowering them to manage their dietary habits. Additionally, they were provided with fish oil capsules to boost their omega-3 intake. In contrast, the control group did not receive any dietary guidance or fish oil capsules.
The findings revealed that individuals on the low omega-6, high omega-3 diet, combined with fish oil, exhibited a 15% reduction in the Ki-67 index, whereas the control group experienced a 24% increase. The Ki-67 index is a crucial indicator of the proliferation rate of cancer cells, which is vital for predicting cancer progression, metastasis, and overall survival.
Aronson emphasized that the study indicates that “dietary modifications may contribute to slowing cancer growth, possibly postponing or even averting the necessity for more aggressive treatments.” Nonetheless, he cautioned that additional research is essential to establish the long-term advantages of omega-3 fatty acids and the reduction of omega-6 in the management of prostate cancer.
