American Cancer Society reveals new guidelines eyeing nutrition impact on recovery

30 Aug 2022 --- The American Cancer Society (ACS) is set to implement guidelines aiming to provide evidence-based recommendations on how nutrition may aid cancer survivors. Eyeing public health initiatives, the guidelines encompass physical activity, body weight, alcohol consumption and diet.

The aim is to lower cancer-specific recurrence and overall mortality, with the recommendations geared toward healthcare practitioners and cancer survivors. The guidelines are supported by literature reviews, meta-analyses and analyses of cohort studies and clinical trials published since 2012.

According to the ACS, reduced health disparities and increased health equity are required for more cancer survivors to be informed about and apply these recommendations, lowering the risk of recurrence and increasing survival.

The researchers note that there are currently more than 16.9 million cancer survivors in the US and the overall five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined is 68%. 

Dietary guidelines
Dietary patterns and dietary indicators are the main focus of the evidence that links nutrition to survival among digestive system cancer survivors. Fruits and vegetables are regarded as essential components of a balanced diet.

A larger intake of red and processed meats, refined cereals, sweets, desserts and high-fat dairy items define Western dietary habits.

According to the ACS, there are approximately 16.9 million cancer survivors in the US, with a five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined is 68%. Cautious food patterns are not linked to cancer recurrence or all-cause mortality in colorectal cancer survivors, either before or after diagnosis.

Contrarily, higher Western or processed meat diet patterns before or after diagnosis have been linked to increased colorectal cancer recurrence and all-cause death, according to at least three observational studies.

Understandable data and health disparities
As community and clinical environments can significantly impact a patient’s behavior, these factors must be considered when implementing these recommendations.

A comprehensive evaluation of effective policy, systems and environmental approaches that policymakers can understand is required to facilitate future action.

The ACS advises that researchers, clinicians and communities should collaborate at the national, state and local levels to develop, promote and implement policy and environmental changes.

When these changes are implemented, they will increase access to reasonably priced, nutrient-dense foods, offer safe and easily accessible physical activity opportunities, and restrict all people’s access to alcoholic beverages.

However, the public must consider the other health inequalities that cancer survivors experience, such as social and cultural context, food insecurity and environmental factors – for example, neighborhood safety.

In the end, coordinated measures are required to lessen the burden of cancer disparities and enhance health equality throughout the cancer care continuum, including policy changes that address structural racism and obstacles to engaging in healthy behaviors.

Limitations in guideline implementation
The creation of a thorough guideline for lowering mortality and recurrence risk among cancer survivors is hampered by several issues.

A Western or processed meat diet before or after diagnosis was linked to increased colorectal cancer recurrence.ACS notes that high-quality evidence for associations from systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, pooled analyses and randomized controlled trials is constrained for unusual cancers with low survival rates, despite systematic reviews with meta-analyses offering one of the highest levels of scientific evidence in research.

The variability of the studies that can be included in systematic reviews for all malignancies has intrinsic limitations, which further restricts the ability to do meta-analyses of the data.

Nonetheless, there is a need for more evidence from interventions beginning with diagnosis.

Health disparities must be reduced and health equity must be improved for more cancer survivors to be informed of and apply these recommendations, lowering the risk of recurrence and increasing survival.

As the community and clinical environments can significantly impact a patient’s behavior, these factors are critical in implementing these recommendations.

Cancer prevention: Mushrooms and walnuts
Industry players have been tapping into dietary solutions for cancer prevention and symptom alleviation. In this space, the US-based University of Texas found that consuming 3 g of AHCC, an extract from the Japanese shiitake mushroom, may clear human papillomavirus infection.

In other developments, research published in the journal Nutrients suggested a link between walnut consumption and lower cancer risk. The results unveiled that walnut consumption can reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lowering the risk of cancer.

The US-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine unveiled that breast cancer risk can be reduced by 50 to 70% by adopting healthy behaviors such as staying physically active and eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Diets high in fiber and soy have also been shown to lower the incidence of breast cancer.

By Nicole Kerr