NUTRITION INFORMATION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS
The food we eat profoundly affects our bodies' functioning and health because food provides not only energy, but also critical nutrients and chemicals which serve as raw materials for body processes. A healthy diet is especially important for individuals with cancer.
General Cancer Prevention Diet
It is widely agreed that appropriate dietary habits decrease the risk of cancer. The same diet recommended to the general population to prevent cancer is also recommended for cancer patients to follow during and after treatment in order to contribute toward disease control and minimize recurrence. The following basic recommendations are stressed by numerous citations in the bibliography, including American Institute for Cancer Research (2002a, 2002b), Goodman (2001), Keane and Chace (1996), Murray et al (2002), Nixon (2000), and World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research (1997).
1. Include lots of different fruits and vegetables and whole grains and legumes (beans) in your diet. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and 7 servings of whole-grain foods, legumes, and nuts. This single recommendation is the most important for accomplishing two goals. First, it provides vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients, plus non-nutrients with possible anti-cancer effects such as phytochemicals (flavonoids, isoflavones, lignans, polyphenols, and others). These healthy whole foods include antioxidants which can counteract carcinogenic effects at the cellular level by combatting free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules (usually containing oxygen or nitrogen) which can damage normal cells and their DNA through chemical reactions. Antioxidants stabilize these molecules, thereby preventing cell damage; this may slow or prevent the development of cancer. Second, this plant-based diet provides fiber (roughage) for colon health.
2. Limit red meat consumption. Three ounces of red meat per day is the maximum recommended by WCRF/AICR, but other authors recommend eating red meat only occasionally. Choose fish, chicken, legumes, soy-based foods, eggs, and low-fat dairy products as your main protein sources. It is important to get enough protein. Some sources (Deane and Chace, 1996; Martin, 2000) indicate that cancer survivors require greater amounts of protein than typical persons: 1-1.5 grams of dietary protein per kilogram of body weight per day, compared to 0.8-1.0 g/kg/day for the general population.
3. Reduce fat consumption to 20-30% of calorie intake and eat good fats. Avoid fats of animal origin and hydrogenated fats in cooking and in purchased baked products. Avoid polyunsaturated cooking oils such as corn, safflower, and sunflower oils; these contain omega-6 fatty acids. Avoid baked goods and crackers containing trans-fats. Choose olive oil and canola oil (rapeseed oil) for cooking. Omega-3 fatty acids, are healthy and desirable. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in certain fish (such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna), walnuts, and golden flaxseed (which can be ground in a coffee grinder and added to other foods).
4. Restrict intake of salt, including salty and salt-cured foods, table salt, and salt used in cooking.
5. Consume no more than two alcoholic drinks per day for men, one for women.
6. Do not eat charred food. A substance called IQ (which stands for "2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f] quinolone") has been identified as a carcinogen; it forms when meat or eggs are cooked in direct high heat (NIEHS, 2003). Restrict food grilled in direct flame to occasional consumption, and cook meats using lower-temperature methods rather than high-temperature methods such as broiling. Limit intake of smoked or cured meats (hot dogs, bacon, etc.).
7. Avoid being overweight and exercise on a daily basis.
REFERENCES and BIBLIOGRAPHY
American Institute for Cancer Research (2002a). Dietary Options for Cancer Survivors. Washington, DC: American Institute for Cancer Research.
American Institute for Cancer Research (2002b). Nutrition After Cancer. Washington, DC: American Institute for Cancer Research.
Boik, J. (2001). Natural Compounds in Cancer Therapy. Princeton, MN: Oregon Medical Press.
Brown, J.K et al (2003): Nutrition and physical activity during and after cancer treatment: an American Cancer Society guide for informed choices. CA Cancer Journal for Clinicians 53: 268-91.
Byers, T. (2000): Nutrition and cancer: ten lessons from the 20th century. Nutrition, 16: 561-563.
Eyre, H.J. (2001): Nutritional advice for cancer survivors. CA Cancer Journal for Clinicians 51: 151-2.
Goodman, S. (2001): The role of nutrition. In: Integrated Cancer Care, pp. 108-119. Editor: J. Barraclough. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Gosslau, A. and Chen, K.Y. (2004): Nutraceuticals, apoptosis, and disease prevention. Nutrition 20: 95-102.
Keane, M. and Chace, D. (1996): What to Eat If You Have Cancer. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary Books.
Murray, M., Birdsall, T., Pizzorno, JE, Reilly, P. (2002). How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine. New York: Riverhead Books.
NIEHS (2003). Report on carcinogens, 10th edition. US Dept of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. Available online at http://ehp.niehs.nig.gov/rec/toc10.html
World Cancer Research Fund in association with American Institute for Cancer Research (1997). Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. London: World Cancer Research Fund.
No-authors-listed (2003): Answers to questions often asked by cancer survivors about nutrition and physical activity. CA Cancer Journal for Clinicians 53: 303-309.
