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eating inflammatory foods was associated with a higher mortality rate in people with breast cancer.
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one in four cancer cases in women in the world will be breast cancer. in canada, as many as 30,000 canadians are being diagnosed each year. when it comes to mortality rates, one in six cancer deaths among women will be caused by breast cancer worldwide.
that said, advancements in treatments have been able to increase the overall survival rates of people with breast cancer, with many countries in north america, as well as australia, new zealand, and europe seeing a five-year survival rate of 90 per cent.
research is diving even further into the disease, recovery and long-term effects following treatment, discovering that what you eat could play a significant role in overall all-cause mortality at diagnosis and after you’ve gone through various therapies.
how diet affects breast cancer before diagnosis
inflammation, sex hormones and insulin have all been tied to an increased risk of breast cancer. inflammatory processes in the body are also linked to estrogen levels, as the hormone helps modulate them, tying in dysregulated estrogen signalling to the onset of chronic inflammation that can drive tumour growth through dna damage.
insulin, which is a hormone that helps manage blood sugar levels, can also play a role in increased breast cancer risk because it can increase estrogen production, leading to an imbalance. that is why people who have high blood sugar, or those who have diabetes, are often considered higher risk.
but how does this fit into your diet? well, all three factors—inflammation, estrogen and insulin—are affected by the foods that you eat. for example, consuming high amounts of inflammatory foods drives systemic inflammation, including:
- red met
- processed eat
- deep-fried foods
- foods high in added sugar
- foods high in trans fats
estrogen can be raised in the body through certain soy products, such as tofu and edamame, as well as lentils and chickpeas. when it comes to insulin, blood sugar spikes can occur after consuming excess simple carbohydrates.
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while this may all seem circumstantial, research has now found that anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory diets prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer improve overall odds for survival. in the study, “dietary patterns related to biological mechanisms and survival after breast cancer diagnosis: results from a cohort study” published in the british journal of cancer, looked at various lifestyle factors prior to diagnosis and gave them scores.
those who scored better in the diabetes risk reduction diet (drrd) had a 20 per cent lower risk for mortality compared to those who scored worse. among those who ate more inflammatory foods and were scored as such on the inflammatory score of diet (isd), mortality rates were also higher. they also examined estrogen-related dietary patterns (erdp) but found no association with survival outcomes.
because of these findings, it’s suggested that the healthier a person eats prior to developing breast cancer, the easier it will be to survive.
using diet to reduce recurrence and all-cause mortality after treatment
breast cancer has an average recurrence rate that ranges significantly depending on the type, as well as individual factors. typically, it recurs in five to 30 per cent of cases.
since recurrence is associated with higher mortality rates among those who develop breast cancer a second time, it’s crucial to tap into all tools in the toolbox when it comes to reducing the risk. one of those tools is diet.
the study that examined mortality rates in relation to diet also delved into other research into diet and breast cancer and found that when people eat a certain way and avoid foods that can drive inflammation and insulin spikes, the benefits of improved survival remained steady throughout and after treatment.
in terms of numbers, research notes that breast cancer survivors are also better off when eating an anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic diet, experiencing a 17 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality.
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putting it all together
while diet plays a role, it is essential to note that you cannot eat yourself into developing breast cancer, nor can you eat your way out of it. this is especially true because there are many different subtypes of breast cancer, all of which are influenced by various physiological processes. therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
diet plays a role in all aspects of health, and the healthier a person eats, the more likely they are to remain healthy. however, breast cancer does not discriminate, and eating healthy can only mitigate risk, not the overall result.
so, what should you add to your plate? fruits and vegetables and juices, legumes, nuts and seeds, yogurt, non-white bread, lean meats such as fish and shellfish, coffee and tea.
anything that will improve a person’s chances if they do develop breast cancer is a welcome addition to cancer treatment and other holistic approaches that make the experience a little easier to deal with.
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