Dec 16, 2008 7:07 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Breast Cancer And Diet
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Both Barbara Krauser and Alice Yaker are breast cancer survivors and part of "SHARE," a cancer support and education group. They practiced healthy eating habits for years. Now a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology says certain breast cancer survivors may really benefit from a very healthy diet.
"I have always eaten really well. I have always eaten a diet that's high in fruits and vegetables," Yaker said.
"I've always had a good diet my whole life," Krauser said.
"Here they looked at the larger cohort of people who did not have hot flashes. And in this group of people, the healthier diet was associated with a reduced risk of recurrence," said Dr. Clifford Hudis, chief of breast cancer service at from Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
Most women with breast cancer fueled by estrogen take a drug called tamoxifen. If that gives them hot flashes they seem to do a bit better. If women without hot flashes ate a diet very high in fruits and veggies, their cancer risk dropped by up to a third.
"Some studies say: 'Yes, you know this is definitely true. More fruits and vegetables mean you, you are at less risk, and some studies don't find that," Krauser said.
Even the authors say their study doesn't prove fruits and vegetables will reduce your risk for breast cancer recurrence. "For most Americans, the unhealthy diet is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and many other problems. If a healthy diet is also associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, then that's just one more reason to do what we've always been recommending," Dr. Hudis said.
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