Healthy diet does not prevent recurrence of breast cancer

Jul 17 2007

According to new research following a low-fat diet high in vegetables, fruit and fiber does not prevent breast cancer from returning or prolong the survival of patients.

The Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) trial, was based on the premise that plant-derived foods contain anti-cancer chemicals.

The programme consists of telephone counseling, cooking classes and newsletters that promote the daily intake of 5 vegetable servings plus 16 ounces of vegetable juice; 3 fruit servings; 30 grams of fiber; and 15 to 20 percent off calories from fat.

Dr. John P. Pierce and his colleagues designed the diet and from the period between 1995 and 2000, they enrolled more than 3,000 women for a trial who were previously treated for breast cancer and then monitored them until 2006.

The women were randomly assigned to either the diet intervention group or a comparison group and the researchers found the special diet did not prevent breast cancer from returning and it did not improve survival.

Approximately 17 percent of patients in each group saw the return of their cancer and about 10 percent in each group died during follow-up.

It appears that though a healthy diet and regular exercise may give breast cancer survivors an extra boost, eating more than the daily recommended intake of five fruits and vegetables did not provide any added benefit.