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High-fiber diet linked to lower incidence of F. nucleatum–positive colorectal cancer
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Individuals who consumed foods rich in dietary fiber and whole grains showed a decreased risk for F. nucleatum–positive colorectal cancer, but not a lower risk for F. nucleatum–negative cancer, a prospective cohort study found.
The findings support the possibility of intestinal microbiota playing a role in the association between colorectal neoplasms and diet, according to researchers.
“Prudent dietary patterns — rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains — have been associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma as reviewed in a recent systematic meta-analysis,” Raaj S. Mehta, MD, of the clinical and translational epidemiology unit at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues wrote. “In contrast, Western dietary patterns — dominated by red and processed meats — have been linked with colorectal carcinogenesis. Although mechanisms underlying these diet–cancer associations remain unclear, it is postulated that the gut microbiota may play a mediating role.”
The researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study, conducted from June 1, 1980 to June 1, 2012, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, performed from June 1, 1986 to June 1, 2012. The Nurses’ Health Study included 121,700 female nurses aged 30 to 55 years, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study included 51,529 male health professionals aged 40 to 75 years. A total of 137,217 participants were included in the analysis (34.6% men; mean age of men, 54 years; mean age of women, 46.3 years).
Researchers documented 1,019 incidences of colon or rectal cancer. A prudent diet was associated with a lower risk for F. nucleatum–positive cancer (P = .003; HR = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.25-0.72). However, this was not true for F. nucleatum–negative cancer (P = .47; HR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.77-1.17).
“Our findings offer compelling evidence of the ability of diet to influence the risk of developing certain types of colorectal cancer by affecting the bacteria within the digestive tract,” Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said in a press release accompanying the study. – by Andy Polhamus
Disclosure: Mehta reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for a full list of all other researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.
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