Fibre Rich Diet Boast Colon Cancer Survival Rate

With global efforts geared towards cutting down cancer deaths, scientists have affirmed that diets rich in fiber may lessen the chances of dying from colon cancer. According to an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and lead researcher of the new study, Dr. Andrew Chan, among people treated for nonmetastatic colon cancer, every five grammes of fiber added to their diet reduced their odds of dying by nearly 25 per cent. The study was published online in ‘JAMA Oncology.’
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and accounted for 8.8 million deaths in 2015. Lung, prostate colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervix and stomach cancer are the most common among women.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that cancer was responsible for 72,000 deaths in Nigeria every year with an estimated 102,000 new cases annually. Chan said: “What you eat after you’ve been diagnosed of colon cancer may make a difference.

“There is a possibility that increasing your intake of fiber may actually lower the rate of dying from colon cancer and maybe even other causes.” Chan cautioned, however, that the study did not prove that the additional fiber caused people to live longer, only that the two were associated. Fibre is an important part of a healthy balanced diet.It can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and some cancers, and can also improve digestive health. Foods that contain soluble fibre include oats, barley and rye; fruit, such as bananas and apples; root vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes; and golden linseeds.On the other hand, good sources of insoluble fiber include whole-meal bread, bran, cereals, nuts and seeds. Fiber had been linked to better insulin control and less inflammation, which may account for better survival, he suggested.In addition, a high-fiber diet may protect people from developing colon cancer in the first place. The greatest benefit was attributed to fiber from cereals and whole grains, according to the report in ‘Healthday.’

On its part, vegetable fiber was linked to an overall reduction in death, but not specifically in death from colon cancer. Fiber from foods, not supplements, was linked to better survival, said Chan, who is also an associate professor of gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Categories: Food And Nutrition