Chronic inflammation is strongly associated with approximately one-fifth of all human cancers
The link between inflammation and colon cancer risk is highlighted in recent and alarming findings from Georgia State University:
- “The increased risks conferred by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to the development of colorectal cancer gave rise to the term “colitis-associated cancer” and the concept that inflammation promotes colon tumorigenesis.
- A condition more common than IBD is low-grade inflammation, which correlates with altered gut microbiota composition and metabolic syndrome, both present in many cases of colorectal cancer.
- Recent findings suggest that low-grade inflammation in the intestine is promoted by consumption of dietary emulsifiers, a ubiquitous component of processed foods, which alter the composition of gut microbiota.
- Our findings support the concept that perturbations in host-microbiota interactions that cause low-grade gut inflammation can promote colon carcinogenesis.(1)
Chronic inflammation is strongly associated with approximately one-fifth of all human cancers
Research from doctors at the UCLA School of Medicine and School of Public Health discusses the role of chronic inflammation in cancers associated with the bowel, colon and intestines.
Chronic inflammation is strongly associated with approximately one-fifth of all human cancers. Arising from combinations of factors such as environmental exposures, diet, genes, infections, or from dysfunctions of the immune response, chronic inflammation begins as an attempt of the body to remove injurious stimuli; however, over time, this results in continuous tissue destruction and promotion and maintenance of carcinogenesis – the formation of cancer.
Intestinal inflammation can be widely grouped into inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and celiac disease.
Long-standing intestinal inflammation is associated with colorectal cancer and small-bowel adenocarcinoma, as well as extraintestinal manifestations, including lymphomas and autoimmune diseases.carcinogenesis.(2)
Doctors at the University of South Carolina suggest that when the symbiotic interactions – the regulation and balance between resident micro-organisms and the digestive tract is disturbed by environmental changes (e.g., infection, diet and/or lifestyle) this can disturb this symbiotic relationship and promote inflammatory bowel diseases and cancer.(3)
Diet is perhaps the biggest factor that can exert the greatest influence on colorectal cancer risk from inflammation
New research suggests the following for colorectal cancer risk reduction
- Supplementation of American ginseng as a botanical-based colon cancer chemoprevention.(4)
- Avoid a carbohydrate-rich diet that results in high blood glucose and insulin which raises risks of colorectal cancer.(5)
- Abdominal fat accumulation is associated with colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women.(6)
- Fish oils inhibit progression of colon cancer.(7)
- Lifestyle concordant with Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines were associated with lower risk of total, breast, and colorectal cancers and lower cancer-specific mortality in postmenopausal women.(8)
The Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines recommendations include:
- Be as lean as possible throughout life without being underweight.
- Avoid excess weight gain at all ages. For those who are overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start.
- Get regular physical activity and limit intake of high-calorie foods and drinks as keys to help maintain a healthy weight.
Researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke quantified the impact of combined multiple healthy lifestyle behaviors on the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
The healthy lifestyle index was composed by the following lifestyle factors:
- a healthy weight;
- low abdominal fat;
- participating in regular physical activity;
- not smoking and limiting alcohol;
- and a diet high in fruits, vegetables, fish, yogurt, nuts and seeds, and foods rich in fiber, and low amounts of red and processed meat.
The researchers found that the more healthy lifestyle factors the subjects adopted, the lower their risk of bowel cancer. Compared to people who had followed up to one healthy lifestyle behavior, those who practiced a combination of two, three, four and all the five healthy behaviors had a 13%, 21%, 34% and 37% lower risk of developing bowel cancer, respectively.10
Colorectal cancer prevention diet
In recent published research gathered from a 15 year study, scientists followed patients at higher risk for recurrent cancers of the large bowel. What they were looking for was the preventive potential of vitamins (A, C and E) and selenium supplementation.
Here is what the scientists did:
- A total of 411 patients were randomized to receive either an active compound (200 μg selenium, 30 mg zinc, 2 mg vitamin A, 180 mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E) or a placebo daily for 5 years. Of them, 330 had follow-up colonoscopy (164 in the intervention and 166 in the placebo group).
- After an average follow-up of 4 years, 100 patients had recurrence: 38 in the intervention and 62 in the placebo arm. The 15-year cumulative incidence of recurrence was 48.3 % in the intervention and 64.5 % in the placebo arm.
- A 39 % reduction of the risk of recurrence was observed in the intervention compared to the placebo group.
- “This study showed study showed a statistically significant effect of antioxidant supplementation on adenoma recurrence.11
There have been numerous studies recently examining anti-oxidants in the fight against cancer. “At present, single natural chemicals are investigated in clinical trials to evaluate their potential chemopreventive activity on different types of cancer. For instance, lycopene and genistein are investigated for the prevention of prostate cancer, resveratrol and curcumin particularly for colon cancer, while green tea preferentially for solid tumors, lung and esophageal cancers. The inclusion of Quercetin in this group will likely expand the possibility to fight against (cancers).”12
In our cancer strategies we utilize antioxidants, intravenous vitamin C, dietary changes, nutritional supplementation, hyperbaric oxygen and detoxification, and have received national recognition for our pioneering work in improving the quality of life for our patients living with cancer.
Our approach is one that utilizes holistic methods of healing, close monitoring of your body’s cancer-fighting natural killer (NK) cells, and analysis of your individual cancerous-cell cycle (meaning the number of cancer cells that are either actively dividing or are about to do so).
1 Viennois E, Merlin D, Gewirtz AT, Chassaing B. Dietary Emulsifier-Induced Low-Grade Inflammation Promotes Colon Carcinogenesis. Cancer Res. 2017 Jan 1;77(1):27-40. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-1359. Epub 2016 Nov 7.
2 Westbrook AM, Szakmary A, Schiestl RH. Mouse models of intestinal inflammation and cancer. Arch Toxicol. 2016 Sep;90(9):2109-30. doi: 10.1007/s00204-016-1747-2. Epub 2016 Jun 16.
3. Deng FE. et al. Association between diet-related inflammation, all-cause, all-cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality, with special focus on prediabetics: findings from NHANES III. Eur J Nutr. 2016 Jan 29. [Epub ahead of print]
4 Yu C et al. American ginseng attenuates azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate-induced colon carcinogenesis in mice. J Ginseng Res. 2015 Jan;39(1):14-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2014.07.001. Epub 2014 Jul 18.
5. Sieri S et al. Dietary glycemic index and glycemic load and risk of colorectal cancer: results from the EPIC-Italy study.Int J Cancer. 2014 Nov 18. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29341. [Epub ahead of print]
6 Lee JY et al Visceral fat accumulation is associated with colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women. PLoS One. 2014 Nov 17;9(11):e110587. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110587. eCollection 2014.
7. Kansal S, Bhatnagar A, Agnihotri N. Fish Oil Suppresses Cell Growth and Metastatic Potential by Regulating PTEN and NF-κB Signaling in Colorectal Cancer. PLoS One. 2014 Jan 8;9(1):e84627. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084627.
8 Chlebowski RT, Martinez ME, Stefanick ML, Rohan TE, Manson JE, Tindle HA, Ockene J, Vitolins MZ, Wactawski-Wende J, Sarto GE, Lane DS, Neuhouser ML. Nutrition and Physical Activity Cancer Prevention Guidelines, Cancer Risk, and Mortality in the Women’s Health Initiative. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2014 Jan;7(1):42-53. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-13-0258.
9. Bowel cancer risk reduced by adopting multiple healthy behaviors
10. Bonelli L, Puntoni M, Gatteschi B, et al. Antioxidant supplement and long-term reduction of recurrent adenomas of the large bowel. A double-blind randomized trial. J Gastroenterol. 2012 Oct 13. [Epub ahead of print]
11. Gibellini L, Pinti M, Nasi M, Montagna JP, De Biasi S, Roat E, Bertoncelli L, Cooper EL, Cossarizza A. Quercetin and Cancer Chemoprevention. Quercetin and Cancer Chemoprevention.