Few
things can make a man feel less in control of his life than being told he has
cancer. Making healthier choices — including what food you eat — can help
regain some control, and make you feel better in the process. Can adopting a
healthier diet help fight prostate cancer? That’s a question men newly
diagnosed with prostate cancer often ask their doctors.
Several
studies have shown that in countries where men eat a “Western” diet containing
a large amount of meat, the incidence of prostate cancer, especially aggressive
prostate cancer, is higher than in countries where plant foods are a primary
part of the diet. Unfortunately, these studies weren’t designed to prove cause
and effect. So for now, definitive answers about prostate cancer and diet
aren’t yet in — although researchers are actively studying this topic.
Investigators
have launched a federally funded national study to see whether a diet that’s
higher in plant foods and lower in animal foods than the typical Western diet
will help control tumor growth in men with early-stage prostate cancer.
Participants
in the Men’s Eating and Living (MEAL) study will try to eat nine servings of
fruits and vegetables daily — significantly more than the three to four
servings consumed each day by the typical American man — as well as two
servings of whole grains and one serving of beans or other legumes.
This
clinical trial will include men ages 50-80 years who have small, low-grade
tumors and who have opted to have their condition followed (active
surveillance) rather than undergoing immediate treatment. Researchers will
randomly assign participants to telephone counseling about how to achieve the
dietary MEAL goals or to a control group that receives standard dietary advice
for Americans.
During the two-year study, the investigators
will collect blood samples to assess levels of antioxidants and nutrients, and
then monitor the men with PSA tests and prostate biopsies to determine whether
the cancer is progressing. A pilot study showed the approach is workable, and
that with enough telephone prompting men can increase their intake of
vegetables and other
healthy foods. To learn more about the larger phase III MEAL study, or to
enroll, visit HERE and search for Trial
NCT 01238172.
