Paradigm shift in cancer treatment? Expert congress identifies diet and exercise as pivotal factors

28 Oct 2022 --- A congress at the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) in Madrid, Spain, has revealed that diet and lifestyle could lead to a “paradigm shift” in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

The congress includes experts in oncology and nutrition and discusses how eating and exercise habits may be underlying factors in the development of some common types of tumors. They say these factors could be the key to modern therapeutic treatments.

Some of the topics discussed include the influence of foods like meat as well as alcohol and the time of day in which meals are consumed. The congress also explored how those factors might affect hormone-dependent tumors, like those associated with prostate and breast cancer. Strategies discussed included intermittent fasting and regulation of the microbiome.

“Diet, and the genes that trigger overeating and obesity, are closely related to cancer,” explains Dr. Alejo Efeyan, head of the cellular metabolism and signaling group at the CNIO. “We can try to treat and prevent cancer through nutritional strategies, altering diet and the functions of the associated genes, but we still have much to learn to do it effectively.” 

The intermittent fasting factor
According to some speakers at the congress, observational studies conducted on populations with long lifespans and lower incidences of cancer, controlled clinical studies and molecular modeling studies all point to a strong correlation between diet and cancer development.

Current research shows that fasting may have tumor-preventing effects on the molecular level.Based on these findings, one strategy researchers are considering is intermittent fasting. Dr. Rafael de Cabo from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Dr. Valter Longo from the University of Southern California – both based in the US – were the main presenters.

Longo and de Cabo state that current research shows that fasting may have tumor-preventing effects on the molecular level.

“We have been studying strategies that mimic fasting to fight cancer for years, with good results. We are moving to the phase where oncologists are beginning to consider its use in combination with standard therapies,” Longo underscores. 

“The interesting thing is that it seems to work with very different cancers and in combination with different therapies,” he adds. “So it looks like a very promising approach.”

Obesity-associated oncology
The congress also states that one thing on which they have an almost complete consensus is in the significance of obesity in the development of cancers. It recommends the addition of legumes, fruits and vegetables to daily diets and encourages the avoidance of red meat, fats, alcohol and processed foods.

However, rather than point out specific foods or nutrients to avoid, the congress instead states that overconsumption in general is what should be avoided. 

“For most of the population, living habits such as nutrition generally play a greater role than genetic factors, at least in modern societies,” says Dr. Nabil Djouder and Dr. Marcos Malumes, researchers at the CNIO. “The body puts a great deal of metabolic effort into processing nutrients and storing the derived products, from which we get energy.” Presenters state that creating a diet to influence the growth of a healthy microbiome is “complicated.” 

“Altering this process or forcing it in the wrong direction for years and years causes stressful situations in cells that cause some of them to become pro-tumorous and, perhaps along with other factors, contribute to developing a tumor.”

Malignancy and the microbiome
One final aspect of cancer development the congress discusses is the influence of the gut microbiome. Recently, researchers from Harvard University hailed the microbiome as the “black box of nutrition,” stating that it may hold the keys to treating numerous diseases, including cancer.

Dr. Yasmine Belkaid, a researcher at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the US NIH, presents on the role of inflammation of the microbiome on cancerous tumor genesis. 

However, Belkaid concedes that attempting to create a correct diet to influence the growth of healthy microbiota is “complicated.” Generally, she explains a diet consisting of various foods and nutrients may be the best way to maintain the proper function of the microbiome.

“Our diet influences the composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota, so-called intestinal flora, which can change with specific foods,” Djouder adds. “Alterations in the intestinal flora can cause general inflammation or the production of harmful metabolites, which impact on the development of many diseases, including cancer.”

Edited by William Bradford Nichols