Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer Found To Impact Some Patients' Dietary Habits - Brief Article

Nutrition Research Newsletter, Feb, 2001

As many as one-third of cancers are considered to be diet-related. There has been a substantial amount of evidence to suggest that dietary habits impact the risk of breast cancer. Diets high in fat and excessive in calories have been shown to increase breast cancer in women. Following treatment for breast cancer, women tend to gain weight and may experience elevated liver enzymes. These side effects can be eliminated or reduced through the adoption of distinct dietary changes. It has previously been shown that very few people are willing to make major changes in their eating practices while they are apparently healthy. How does a diagnosis of cancer affect the willingness to change dietary habits?

Recently, researchers set out to answer this question in breast cancer survivors by examining the frequency of reporting dietary changes as well as use of supplements and vitamins following diagnosis. The subjects consisted of 123 adult women with breast cancer comprising all stages of the disease. Subjects were also at all levels of therapy including, pre, post, and mid therapy during their time of participation. The subjects completed a 17-item tested questionnaire containing 16 structured and one open-ended question. The tool was completed anonymously during a visit to the oncology department at Turku University Hospital. The questionnaire covered subjects' nutrition knowledge and habits and changes in these habits prior to diagnosis. The subjects' beliefs regarding the role of diet in breast cancer and their use of different foods, vitamins, and supplements were investigated using the structured questions. The source of their information on matters of diet and their altered need for information were also assessed.

The data found that 8.9% of subjects felt that diet was a contributing factor leading to their breast cancer and 32% had changed their dietary habits following the diagnosis of cancer. The number of subjects reporting dietary change following diagnosis increased with higher educational background and with younger patients. The main reason cited for dietary change was to cure the cancer while fewer respondents stated their reason to be alleviation of symptoms related to chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The main changes reported included a reduction in dietary animal fat, sugar, and red meat and an increased consumption of fruit, berries, and vegetables. The data found that 40% of subjects reported using vitamin and mineral supplements and 22% consumed dietary supplements including natural products and probiotics. Subjects reported their source of information on how to change their diet as 33.3% from the mass media, 19.4% from doctors or nurses, and 11.1% from dietitians.

The researchers feel that breast cancer patients' need of control over their own health prompts them to positively change their dietary habits following diagnosis. However, less than half of patients reported eating a healthier diet or taking vitamin and mineral supplements after learning of their disease. More expert information and recommendations are needed as subjects also reported a lack of precise nutritional recommendations for their individual disease.

E. Salminen, H. Lagstrom, S. Heikkila, et al. Does breast cancer change patients' dietary habits? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54:844-848 (December 2000) [Correspondence: H. Lagstrom, Department of Biochemisty and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, Vatselankatu 2, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland].