INDCJournal: Interesting Study/Annoyances

May 16, 2005

Interesting Study/Annoyances

Posted by Bill

A new study links dietary changes to a decrease in breast cancer reccurrence:

Breast cancer victims can cut the chances their tumors will come back by adopting low-fat diets, according to the first study to produce direct evidence that a lifestyle change can fend off any type of tumor.
The study of more than 2,400 middle-aged and elderly women found that those who reduced the fat in their diets after undergoing standard treatment for early breast cancer were significantly less likely to suffer a recurrence in the next five years, researchers reported today.

It's unsurprising that dietary change can impact cancer risks, though the study fails to distinguish between "bad" fats (pro-inflammatory, saturated, animal) and "good" fats (anti-inflammatory, fish, plant-based), the latter of which have been shown to have powerfully protective effect against other maladies, like heart disease. My suspicion is that the mechanism for decreased cancer recurrence is a reduction in inflammation and/or unnatural estrogens via the consumption of less bad fat, but that's just an educated guess. It's also possible that the reduction of ingesting all fat could reduce the production of hormones that encourage breast cancer development (as well as have a role in normal function, and the growth of breast tissue in general). I would think that making a distinction about what type of fat needs to be reduced is vital before doling out dietary recommendations with confidence, as a low, low fat diet (that cuts all fats, including the anti-inflammatory variety) can jack up the risks of other maladies.

Now for the annoyance - the article includes the inevitable patronizing official fretting over the public's consumption of the information:

Some experts and patient advocates, however, worried that the findings could create the impression that people have more control over whether they get cancer or suffer recurrences than they do, prompting feelings of guilt and blame.
"People should not take this study as an indication that if someone with breast cancer had just done this, they wouldn't have cancer," said Barbara Brenner of Breast Cancer Action, a patient advocacy group.

Depends, Babs.

Posted by Bill at May 16, 2005 09:30 AM | TrackBack (2)

Comments

Ah yes, we musn't blame the victim, right? And that's why you can't get a straight answer out of an oncologist, and why their screening tests don't ask some key risk questions but prance all around them...lots of PC going on here.

I, for one, freely admit that my high-risk status is due to lifestyle, pure and simple. Breast cancer does not run in my family--I have great genes--but abortion, childlessness and decades of heavy drinking quadrupled my risk. One question I will never ask, if it does get me, is "why me?"

Posted by: cassandra at May 16, 2005 12:36 PM