Diet & Supplements Don't Help Cancer Patients

[OzarkDem]

Diet, Supplements Do Little for Cancer Patients

TUESDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Nutritional supplements and other dietary changes may do little to help cancer patients alter the course of their illness, according to a major review of research on the subject.

However, because of the limited number and quality of most of the trials studied, the British researchers also said it would be tough to draw definitive conclusions on the effectiveness of such interventions.

"The take-home point is that the field isn't mature enough for us to know if any intervention works," said Dr. John A. Baron, a Dartmouth Medical School professor who authored an accompanying editorial to the findings published in the July 19 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The news about diet isn't all discouraging, added the study's lead author, Dr. Steven Thomas of the University of Bristol.

"There are some promising findings particularly for breast cancer, which suggest a reduction in cancer-specific mortality with healthy diet interventions, although the reviewed studies were small," he said.

Thomas' group of researchers reviewed data from 59 studies in what's known as a "meta-analysis." The research included 25 studies involving patients with cancer and 34 with patients with pre-cancerous lesions. The studies covered dietary interventions including supplements of Vitamins A, C, B6, fiber, calcium, folate and beta-carotene, as well as weight loss, exercise, and calorie-reduction.

http://www.patientlinx.com/healthday/20060718/H533876.cfm

[uppityperson]

1. Eating healthy helps.

study says "no definitive conclusions" and "Some studies did show some benefit. One study suggested that dietary changes might help reduce the risk for breast cancer recurrence. And two studies that focused on increased calcium intake each pointed to a reduced risk of recurrence of colorectal polyps, which can lead to colon cancer.

Of course, eating well is always important for health, Thomas said. "Encouraging a healthy diet is certainly important for general well-being because many patients with cancer will live for along time with increasingly effective medical treatments.""


Thier headline is faulty.

[sgxnk]

4. the CDC

rightly claims that over 60% of chronic disease is diet related

i heartily agree

it also seems true that a healthy diet helps prevent the onset of cancer moreso than "curing" or reducing it once it occurs, but it is still a good thing to eat healthily and CAN help even those with cancer

[OzarkDem]

9. People are eating healthier today

than they ever have in human history. Have you ever looked at a photo of a 65 yr old person today, compared with someone of the same age 50 or 100 yrs ago? Our life spans are longer, we're healthier and we eat better than we ever have.

[sgxnk]

12. generally speaking this is true

however, let's not also forget that for the first time in recorded history, the #1 behavior related health problem among the POOR is obesity

that sux

it's good that malnutrition (in our society) is no longer much of an issue with the poor. there is enough food. but if you're eating complete cr*p 24/7 that's bad

i totally agree that, in general, people are more conscious of proper dieting choices

and the food labeling we have now is great. that is one excellent govt. regulation i heartily applaud

[greenman3610]

5. Most journalists are cynical, frustrated and immature

and they have an innate aversion to the idea that someone
can take responsibility for a good part of one's health.
To them, the idea of "eating healthy" is threatening, because it
leads to a larger, more generous and spiritual view of the
world, and something about them flees from that.

For that reason, they will always try to twist information,
as in the above headline.

[Odin2005]

6. LOL!

:rofl:

[OzarkDem]

10. Journal of the National Cancer Institute says the same

Like it or not, the current scientific evidence says the same - 59 clinical trials

http://jncicancerspectrum.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/jnci;98/14/945

http://jncicancerspectrum.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/jnci;98/14/961

Results: We identified 59 eligible trials, 25 in patients with cancer and 34 in patients with preinvasive lesions, respectively. Trial quality was generally low; only three trials (two of cancer and one of preinvasive lesions) had adequate methods for generating the allocation sequence, allocation concealment, and masking both outcome assessors and participants. The combined odds ratio (OR) for the effect of a healthy diet—given alone or with dietary supplements, weight loss, or exercise—on all-cause mortality was 0.90 (95% confidence interval = 0.46 to 1.77). There was no evidence of an association between the use of antioxidant (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.88 to 1.15) or retinol (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.13) supplements and all-cause mortality. Meta-analyses of all other outcomes did not show clear evidence of benefit or harm. Conclusions: The impact of most nutritional interventions cannot be reliably estimated because of the limited number of trials, many of which were of low quality. There is no evidence that dietary modification by cancer patients improves survival and benefits disease prognosis.

[OzarkDem]

8. No, its accurate

In the analysis of more than 50 of these studies, no definitive conclusions can be drawn. In medical research, one study alone isn't accepted as sufficient evidence. Scientific results have to be duplicated to show the same result before its accepted.

I'm not sure why more people don't understand that the supplement industry, who work outside of the scientific community and who dodge stringent regulatory analysis, but also make billions of dollars a year are somehow benevolent folks to be trusted.

Continuing to place false hope in remedies that don't work only slows the effort to find real cures. Survivors want cures, no matter where they come from.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Well, all I know is my doctor

uses supplements and nutrition to help cancer patients. Since she cured my husband of an "uncurable" disease, I think I'll go with what she's doing-which is always done in conjunction with other therapies-and always with everyone's knowledge.

[REP]

14. Anecdote is Not the Plural of Data

Nice story; not evidence. I could say my cat cured my kidney disease by purring at them, and would have exactly the same amount of evidence you do for your anecdote. I'll go with the meta-analysis.

[FlaGranny]

3. Maybe they should do a double-blind study

where half the cancer patients eat all meals at McDonalds and the other half eat fresh, pesticide free, well-balanced diets. I'm willing to bet plenty that I know which group would be turn out to be healthier and live longer. ;-)

In fact, the study participants don't even really need to be cancer victims.

[lastknowngood]

7. Who paid for the study. Remember no science exists as we knew

it. Every study/finding has money and influence behind it.

[OzarkDem]

11. Analysis was of 59 different clinical trials

Meta-analysis is a type of study where many studies and their results are analyzed. In this case, it was a systematic review of 59 clinical trials . Trials studying similar outcomes are grouped and their data analyzed.

"Outcome measures were all-cause and cancer mortality, disease-free survival, cancer recurrence, second primary cancer, recurrence of a preinvasive lesion, or progression to cancer. Results of individual trials were combined by use of random-effects meta-analyses."

[pitohui]

13. with cancer it's most important to eat SOMETHING

it is less important what you eat, but you need to keep the calories down, hence all the hoo-ha abt medical marijuana which allows you to get an appetite w.out puking

skinny cancer patients who can't eat die faster than fat ones who have some fat to live off of -- and the person who can eat normally thanks to herb or whatever prob. does best of all

that said, every skinny friend of mine who contracted cancer has now died except the one who took steroids and got fat during chemo thanks to same

we need real cures, not shills hawking vitamins that don't do anything

hate on the maryjane or steroids all you like, they have prob. saved more cancer patients than a stupid vit. C pill