The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Prevention

Written By: Discovery Senior Living
The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Prevention

There are many lifestyle changes a person can make to lower their chances of cancer. Reducing sugar and alcohol intake and physical exercise are two ways to stay healthy.

Despite this, over 1.8 million people in the U.S. received a cancer diagnosis in 2020. Adults 66 years and older generally account for over half of diagnoses in the country, according to WebMD.

So, what does someone do once they've developed cancer? Cancer cells, like normal cells, need nutrients to grow and survive. Now you must ask, "How to starve cancer cells to increase survival?"

Below we explain how cancer cells work and the (potential) ideal diet to starve cancer cells. We'll also discuss the role of diet in preventing cancer development.

What Are Cancer Cells?

A cancer cell can be thought of as a corrupted normal cell. Cancer happens when normal cells with gene mutations undergo abnormal growth.

Specifically, gene mutations disrupt the typical instructions that tell cells when and how to grow and die. Hallmarks of cancer cells include:

  • Out-of-control division
  • Under development
    • They don't grow into mature cells with specified jobs
  • They avoid the immune system
    • The immune system "checks" for abnormalities
    • Abnormal cells are attacked and destroyed
  • They ignore signals that tell them when to stop dividing and die
  • They don't have good adhesion
    • Cancer cells don't stick together well
    • The lack of adhesion allows them to spread through the body
    • This process is called metastasis
  • They can attach and grow into other tissues and organs
    • Tumors press into normal tissue
    • They also excrete enzymes that break down normal cells
    • Cancer that spreads this way is called invasive cancer

How Do Tumors Grow?

Cancer cells still need oxygenated blood and nutrients to thrive. Small tumors can grow relatively easily because they get nutrients from nearby blood vessels.

However, once the tumor grows, it needs more oxygen and nutrients so the cancer cells within the tumor send a signal to create more blood vessels or undergo angiogenesis.

More blood vessels allow tumors to grow larger. Angiogenesis also enables cancer cells to enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.

How to Starve Cancer Cells: Is This The Ideal Healthy Diet?

First, here's a disclaimer: research testing this diet's effectiveness is ongoing. Do not take this article as medical advice. Ask a doctor whether this is right for you.

The "ideal healthy diet" in question is a low-protein diet. The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center found that low-protein diets in mice block mTORC1, a nutrient-sensing molecule within cells.

mTORC1 is a natural part of all cells and tells them how to grow. However, it's hyperactive within colon cancer cells. Reducing protein lowers the amount of GATOR 1 and GATOR 2 amino acids which keep mTORC1 active.

The low-protein diet deactivates mTORC1, which decreases available nutrients within a colon cancer tumor. Eventually, massive cell death happens and cancer growth stops.

A low-protein diet is not a perfect solution. Would-be patients will need to combine the diet with another type of treatment, like chemotherapy.

A low-protein diet could lead to muscle weakness and weight loss. A protein-deficient diet isn't seen as a viable long-term solution but is best done at the start of chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Fasting: Is It a Good Alternative Choice?

Fasting isn't a diet to starve cancer cells, but an eating pattern that helps fight the disease. Studies show that fasting may reprogram natural killer cells, or NKS, to help them survive the tumor's nutrient-sucking behavior.

Natural killer cells are white blood cells that kill damaged or abnormal cells. The term "natural killer" comes from these white blood cells' ability to eliminate a threat without a prior encounter.

The more NK cells inside a tumor, the better a patient's odds of survival. The mice studies showed that fasting redistributed NK cells into the bone marrow, exposing them to a cytokine that aids with anti-tumor responses.

Mouse studies with fasting are ongoing, but clinical trials are being held to observe fasting's effectiveness alongside standard treatments. Remember, do not try dieting or fasting without speaking with a medical professional.

Nutrition and Cancer Prevention: How Diet Helps

Knowing how to starve cancer cells is useful, but understanding how to prevent cancer with a diet is better. It's often easier to keep something bad from occurring than to fix it.

We mentioned that reducing sugar and alcohol intake can help prevent cancer, but how? Both sugar and alcohol can increase:

  • Cell damage
  • Hormonal changes
  • Nutrient deficiencies

Metabolized alcohol turns into acetaldehyde, a chemical that damages proteins and DNA and inhibits cell repair. Alcohol can trigger hormone changes that cause increased cell replication.

Alcohol can decrease folate absorption, which may increase the chances of developing cancer. Too much sugar can lead to obesity, which in turn, can make many cancer treatments less effective.

Whole grains and leafy greens are foods that fight cancer and contribute to healthy aging. Whole grains contain vitamin E, fiber, and phytic acid -- all of which reduce colorectal, breast, liver, and gastric cancer.

Vegetables like spinach and kale are antioxidants. Antioxidants are cancer-fighting nutrients that attack unstable molecules that can damage cells and DNA. Leafy greens can reduce breast and lung cancer.

We Aim to Make Life Less Stressful

Studies on How to starve cancer cells may eventually find new and effective methods for treating cancer. For now, it's been found that a protein-deficient diet or fasting could help, but we need more information.

It is not advisable to diet or fast without medical advice. Cancer can be terrifying. That's why we've made it our mission to help make your life less stressful.

LakeHouse Chippewa Falls provides residents with a healthy, friendly, homey atmosphere. We develop individual care plans to meet the residents' needs.

Supportive services include medication management, housekeeping, bathing, and dressing. Lake House Chippewa Falls is pet-friendly and offers activities like exercise classes, movie nights, and live entertainment.

Our community has a veterans' financial plan and a $99 move-in fall special. Contact us if you have questions about housing or financial aid, or to schedule a free tour in Chippewa Falls, WI.

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