(20-01-13) Starchy, processed carbohydrate diet linked with colon cancer recurrence

by John Phillip

(NaturalNews) Newly diagnosed cases of colon cancer continue to rise in the U.
S., affecting more than 150,000 people each year. Many of these incidences may
be avoidable by altering diet and other pertinent lifestyle risk factors such
as smoking and using household chemicals and cosmetics that contain potentially
hazardous chemicals that are "generally regarded as safe."

Many prior studies have concluded that colon cancer risk can be reduced by
adhering to a low glycemic diet void of hydrogenated fats and low heat cooking
methods. Researchers from the Dana Faber Cancer Institute have determined that
colon cancer survivors whose diet is heavy in complex sugars and carbohydrate-
rich foods are far more likely to have a recurrence of the disease than are
patients who eat a better balance of foods.

In one of the first studies of its kind, medical researchers publishing in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute examined how diet can affect the
chances that the disease will recur. They found that eating a high-carbohydrate
diet is a potential hazard for those already suffering from colon cancer. Study
author, Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt commented "Our study certainly supports the idea
that diet can impact the progression of colon cancer, and that patients and
their doctors should consider this when making post-treatment plans."

Highly processed carbohydrate diet fuels the growth of colon cancer over the
course of years
Past research studies have shown that colorectal cancer survivors whose diet
and activity patterns lead to excess amounts of insulin in the blood have a
higher risk of cancer recurrence and death from the disease. Diets high in
refined carbohydrates and sugar-laden foods boost insulin levels and feed
cancer cells. A typical western diet marked by high intakes of meat, fat,
refined grains, and sugary desserts has been shown to triple the risk of colon
cancer recurrence.

In this study, the researchers reviewed the diet of 1,011 colon cancer
patients. They tracked total carbohydrates consumed and reviewed the glycemic
index of all foods eaten. Each participant was analyzed for a statistical
connection between diet and the recurrence of colon cancer. They found that
participants with the highest glycemic load and carbohydrate intake had an 80
percent increased risk of colon cancer recurrence or death compared with those
who had the lowest levels.

Dr. Meyerhardt concluded "We theorize that factors including a high glycemic
load may stimulate the body's production of insulin... that, in turn, may
increase the proliferation of cells and prevent the natural cell-death process
in cancer cells that have metastasized from their original site." Many cancer
lines develop over the course of years and decades until they become
discernible as a tumor. During this time, a diet high in processed
carbohydrates that rapidly break down into dietary sugars fuels this growth.
Eliminating refined carbohydrates, trans fats and dietary sugars can
significantly lower the risk of colon cancer, and many other forms of the
disease as well.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121107161551.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/jotn-hdg110512.php
http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/11/02/jnci.djs399

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