Reducing carbohydrate intake may reduce the risk of recurrence of breast cancer -
Dartmouth researchers found that reducing carbohydrate intake could reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in women whose tumor tissue is positive for the receptor for IGF-1. The study, "Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk associated with the consumption of carbohydrates and tissue expression of IGFI Receptor," appears in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention .
"There is a growing associations demonstrating the research between obesity, diabetes and cancer risk," said lead author Jennifer A. Emond, instructor in the department of family and Community medicine the Geisel school of medicine at Dartmouth College. "There are similarities between the biological pathways that underlie all of these conditions, and there is evidence to suggest that over-activation of the axis of the insulin / insulin-like growth factor, which increase the availability of IGF-1 in the blood, can relate to a poor prognosis in breast cancer survivors. "
Receptors for IGF1 have been found in breast tumor tissue, and the expression of these receptors may contribute to resistance to therapy in breast cancer survivors. Since the diet can influence the activation of insulin, the researchers wondered if the diet may have a breast cancer prognostic impact based on the expression of IGF1 receptor in the primary breast tumor tissue.
using an unusual approach, this study evaluated the combination of two combined factors involved in tumor growth and 'carbohydrate intake IGF1 receptor status to test whether activation of the axis of insulin growth factors / insulin-like may influence breast cancer. Since carbohydrates stimulate the biological pathway that may increase concentrations of IGF1, the researchers focused on carbohydrate intake. The women they studied were part of a broader intervention trial called Healthy Eating for women and life (WHEL) study conducted between 01 and 07.
"We found an association between increased recurrence of breast cancer in women with primary breast cancer tumor was positive for IGF1 receptor, which is consistent with other studies, "said Emond. "We also found that carbohydrate intake decreased was associated with breast cancer recurrence decrease in these women."
This is the first study to suggest that it might be possible to customize diets recommended for breast cancer survivors based on the molecular characteristics of the primary tumor. Further research is needed to confirm these results, Emond noted that breast cancer survivors should not be concerned about reducing their consumption of carbohydrates significantly based on this study.
"There are still many unanswered questions about the study, including what type of carbohydrate foods may be the most important nutrients that breast cancer survivors should limit," says -she. "Breast Cancer Survivors should continue to follow a diet herbal as suggested by the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Association, which means eat plenty of fiber-rich vegetables, legumes and fruits; eating whole grains and limiting refined grains, starchy vegetables, and sugar added. "
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