New research continually adds to our knowledge of the effects of diet on cancer risk. Among recent findings, detailed below, are the protective effects of calcium-rich foods against colorectal cancer. Another study shows the importance of fiber and its influence on gut bacteria in ways that slow or even halt cancer growth. Researchers also have good news for coffee lovers, as findings suggest that coffee consumption may lower the risk of head and neck cancers.
Calcium and Colorectal Cancer
Data analysis by researchers at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom (UK) examined colon cancer rates and detailed diet questionnaire results for 542,778 UK women. The analysis, published in Nature Communications, suggests that calcium-rich foods help protect against colorectal cancer. An extra 300 milligrams of calcium per day lowered the relative risk by 17%. Unlike other milk, yogurt and other dairy foods, the intake of cheese and ice cream was not associated with decreased risk.
“Cows’ milk is a rich source of dietary calcium and riboflavin, and the relationships between milk, calcium and riboflavin, and risk of cancer incidence [observed in the study] were almost identical,” said Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study.
One possible explanation for the effect is that calcium binds to free bile acids in the gut, neutralizing their harmful effects. The study also found that red and processed meat intake increased cancer risk, while whole grains, fiber, folate and vitamin C intake had a protective effect, but these effects were weaker than the effect of calcium intake.
Fiber and Gut Health
Another study, published in Nature Metabolism, sheds light on how fiber-rich foods may help prevent cancer. Gut bacteria break down plant fiber into the short-chain fatty acids propionate and butyrate. These molecules influence gene expression in both normal and cancerous cells.
“These [short-chain fatty acids] can influence the activity of both cancer-promoting (proto-oncogenes) and cancer-suppressing (tumor-suppressor) genes by modifying histones, the proteins that help package DNA,” explained Şebnem Ünlüişler, a genetic engineer who was not involved in the research.
By altering DNA accessibility, these acids can turn genes on or off. They also block enzymes called histone deacetylases, which can slow cancer growth or spur cancer cell death.
Coffee and Head and Neck Cancer
Researchers conducted a pooled analysis of data from 14 case-control studies to investigate the association between coffee and tea intake and head and neck cancer. The study results, published in Cancer, found that drinking more than four cups of caffeinated coffee per day reduced the risk of head and neck cancers, including mouth and oropharyngeal cancer.
“This study showed a decreased risk of head and neck cancers with increasing coffee or tea [consumption],” said Kanwar Kelley, an otolaryngologist who was not involved in the research.
However, he warned that such high caffeine intake may not be practical for everyone. “The amount of coffee that needs to be consumed for the effect is likely more than is usually consumed in a day. Those sensitive to caffeine will likely have difficulty drinking this much coffee to experience the effect.”
The Bigger Picture
Investigations into the links between diet and cancer continue to demonstrate the benefits and risks associated with certain foods and nutrients. High-calcium foods, fiber-rich diets and coffee may play a role in prevention. While diet is just one part of the cancer risk matrix, it is something individuals have direct control over. As new studies emerge, one thing is clear—what we eat matters.
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