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Winter 2010 Volume 01 No.1
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Diet and Cancer Prevention in Women: Can one size fit all?
Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc Registered Dietitian and Clincal Researcher, BC Cancer Agency
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In this first issue of Abreast and the Rest, we've turned our attention to cancer affecting women. A simple but important message is that all women can benefit from eating well and maintaining a healthy body weight. While one size doesn't necessarily fit all, the early evidence does suggest that there are likely to be more similarities than differences when it comes to diet and cancer prevention in women. At present the majority of studies have focused on breast cancer but it appears that what is recommended for breast cancer can also be encouraged for other types of cancer that affect women. That is, in some cases, the same factors that increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer also affect the risk of other cancers diagnosed in women.
The evidence comes from an expert report from the American Institute for Cancer Research1, which is recognized as the most comprehensive summary on diet and cancer available today. This report examined the effect of diet on the risk of developing cancer including breast cancer and cancer of the endometrium (uterus), cervix and ovary. Several diet and lifestyle factors were reported to be related to the risk of developing breast cancer.
Evidence suggests that the risk of breast cancer is lowered by physical activity and increased by alcohol consumption and a number of factors associated with body weight. This includes body as well as body fatness, abdominal fatness and adult weight gain. Other cancers that affect women share these same risk factors. For example, the risk of endometrial cancer is also decreased by physical activity and increased by body fatness and abdominal fatness. For other less common cancers of the cervix and ovary there is limited research available to determine what effect these factors have on cancer risk. Where there is data, the evidence is often too low in quality, too inconsistent or the number of studies is too few to allow conclusions to be reached1.
Diet and lifestyle factors are known to affect the risk of cancer in women in part by their relationship to hormones and reproductive factors. It is well established that estrogen (commonly known as a hormone), along with reproductive factors, are related to the development cancer in women. Cancer of the breast, ovary, endometrium and cervix are included in these types and as such are often referred to as hormone sensitive cancers.
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Modifiable Factors Associated with
Cancer Risk in Women: | | LEVEL OF EVIDENCE | FACTORS INCREASING
CANCER RISK | TYPE OF CANCER | | CONVINCING | Body fatness | Endometrial Cancer
Breast Cancer | | Alcoholic Drinks | Breast Cancer | | PROBABLE | Abdominal fatness | Endometrial Cancer
Breast Cancer | | Adult Weight Gain | Breast Cancer |
Excess body weight and body fatness and to some degree the amount of fat consumed in the diet can directly affect many of the circulating hormones such as estrogen, insulin and insulin-like growth factors. This can create an environment that over time encourages cancer development and inhibits the body's mechanisms against cancer. It can also stimulate the body's inflammatory response, which can contribute to the initiation and progression of several cancers1.
While most of the estrogen produced in a women's body is made in the ovaries, fat cells are also able to produce estrogen by converting other hormones into estrogen. Collectively, these factors help to explain why in comparison with women who maintain a healthy weight, cancer risk is higher in overweight and obese women. In the example of endometrial cancer, cancer is twice as common in overweight women, and more than three times as common in obese women2.
Keeping perspective is important and in fact, the benefits of lifestyle factors go well beyond cancer and also contribute to vitality and well-being and protect against many common conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
1. Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective (2007), American Institute for Cancer Research (www.aicr.org)
2. Detailed Guide: Endometrial Cancer. What are the Risk Factors for Endometrial Cancer? American Cancer Society website (as viewed December 10, 2009) http://www.cancer.org
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Archived Active Living Pages
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| Fall 2009 Vol. 10 No. 4 |
Lifting weights now thought to help with arm lymphedema in breast cancer survivors
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Kristin Campbell, BScPT, PhD |
| Summer 2009 Vol.10 No.3 |
What's New in Organic Food?
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc Registered Dietitian |
| Spring 2009 Vol.10 No. 2 |
Walking with poles - a new stride toward physical activity
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Kristin Campbell, BSc. PT, PhD |
| Winter 2009 Vol.10 No.1 |
Nutrition and Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc |
| Fall 2008 Vol. 9 No. 4 |
The Complementary Medicine Education (CAMEO) Program At the BC Cancer Agency
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| Summer 2008 Vol.9 No.3 |
Bisphenol A and Breast Cancer: Is there a link?
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc |
| Spring 2008 Vol.9 No.2 |
The Effects of Yoga for Women with Breast Cancer
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Susan R. Harris |
| Winter 2008 Vol.9 No.1 |
Weight loss may benefit breast cancer-related lymphedema
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc, |
| Fall 2007 Vol. 8 No. 4 |
Preventing Breast Cancer Recurrence:
How Much Exercise is "Enough"?
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Susan R. Harris, PhD |
| Summer 2007 Vol.8 No.3 |
The Sunshine Vitamin and Breast Cancer Prevention
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc |
| Spring 2007 Vol. 8 No. 2 |
Breast Cancer, Exercise and Stress: What are the Relationships?
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Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
| Winter 2007 Vol. 8 No.1 |
The End Result on S.T.A.R.T.
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By Diane Jespersen, Study Coordinator
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| Fall 2006 Vol. 6 No. 4 |
Virtual Dietitians and On-Line Services
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc |
| Summer 2006 Vol.7 No.3 |
Pilates and Breast Cancer
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Christina Ekegren, PT, Pilates instructor & M.Sc. student |
| Spring 2006 Vol. 7 No. 2 |
Low-fat Diets and Breast Cancer
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Cheri Van Patten, RD, MSc |
| Winter 2006 Vol. 7 No.1 |
Aromatase Inhibitors and Bone Health
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Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
| Fall 2005 Vol. 6 No. 4 |
Gentle Wisdoms
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Sydney Foran, MSW |
| Summer 2005 Vol. 6 No. 3 |
Pilates Research Study; Calling all Participants
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Kim Keays, BHK, MSc (in progress) & Susan R. Harris, Ph.D., PT |
| Spring 2005 Vol. 6 No. 2 |
Communicating with Friends or Loved Ones who are Dying
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Susan R. Harris, Ph.D., PT |
| Winter 2005 Vol. 6 No. 1 |
Is There an Increased Risk for Developing Lymphedema during Airline Travel?
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Susan R. Harris, Ph.D., PT |
| Fall 2004 Vol. 5 No. 4 |
Exercise for Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer
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Kim Keays, M.Sc. Student & Dr. Susan Harris |
| Summer 2004 Vol. 5 No. 3 |
Moderate Physical Activity Prevents Breast Cancer Recurrence
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Spring 2004 Vol.5 No. 2 |
Excerpt from the short film Locked Out
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Nancy Baye, Diagnosed Age 36 |
| Winter 2004 Vol. 5 No.1 |
Exercise during Chemotherapy
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Don McKenzie, MD PhD |
| Fall 2003 Vol.4 No.4 |
Breast Cancer, Body Image, Reconstruction and Active Living
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Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
| Summer 2003 Vol.4 No.3 |
After Breast Cancer Treatment - What Next?
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Rosemary Shandler |
| Spring 2003 Vol.4 No.2 |
Aerobic Fitness for Springtime
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Winter 2003 Vol.4. No.1 |
Building Bone Density in the Absence of HRT
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Fall 2002 Vol.3 No.4 |
Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Recurrence
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Summer 2002 Vol.3 No.3 |
Getting (and Staying) Aerobically Fit through Swimming!
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Spring 2002 Vol.3 No.2 |
More Advice on Getting Fit with Aerobic Activities
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By Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Winter 2002 Vol.3. No.1 |
Getting (and Staying) Fit through Aerobic Walking
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Fall 2001 Vol.2 No.4 |
The Dragon Boat Phenomenon Around the World
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Sandy Smith,B.Sc. (PT) |
| Summer 2001 Vol.2 No.3 |
Exercise During Breast Cancer Treatment
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Dr. Susan Harris, Phd. PT |
| Spring 2001 Vol.2 No.2 |
Abreast in a Boat Trophy Race
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| Winter 2001 Vol.2 No.1 |
What is the Best Available Treatment for Upper Extremity Lymphedema?
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Dr. Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
| Fall 2000 Vol.1 No.4 |
Breast Cancer & the Olympic Games
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Dr. Don Mackenzie |
| Summer 2000 Vol.1 No.3 |
Exercise and its Role in Depression
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Dr. Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
| Spring 2000 Vol.1 No.2 |
Challenging the Myth of Exercise-Induced Lymphedema
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Dr. Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
| Winter 2000 Vol.1 No.1 |
Bone Building Exercises
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Dr. Susan R. Harris, PhD, PT |
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