Nutritional Education May Help Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence

Statistics show that breast cancer is the most frequent cause of death among women worldwide, with five-year survival rates lower in Brazil than other regions at about 58.4 percent.

Researchers at the University of Santa Catarina have now provided Brazilian breast cancer patients with nutritional education and found that it could benefit patients by helping them prevent the recurrence of cancer.

For the study, researchers examined eighteen patients who were put in an intervention group. They were compared with a patient control group over a 12-month span. The patients in the intervention group were educated regarding proper nutrition and asked to record their food consumption on a calendar. They were later contacted via phone by researchers to learn about food consumption and offer recommendations for improvement. Those in the intervention group also attended meetings and received a monthly bulletin to further their nutrition education.

"Although the sample size was small and data were collected at different times, this study provides evidence that women undergoing breast cancer treatment might benefit from immediate, individualized and detailed nutrition monitoring," said lead study author Cecilia C. Schiavon, MsC, in a news release.

Researchers based their conclusions on the fact that patients in the intervention group showed significant reductions in red and processed meat, consuming close to 50 percent less than peers in the comparison group. The comparison group patients also had a two-times greater body weight increase during the study.

Previous studies have linked red and processed meat consumption and body weight increases to increased oxidative stress as well as cancer recurrence. Those in the intervention group received more fruits and vegetables which, in turn, lowered their BMI.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Journal of Nutrition education and Behavior.

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