Abstract
Cancer survival continues to improve in high-income countries, partly explained by advances in screening and treatment. Previous studies have mainly examined the relationship between individual dietary components and cancer prognosis in tumours with good therapeutic response (breast, colon and prostate cancers). The aim of this review is to assess qualitatively (and quantitatively where appropriate) the associations of dietary patterns and cancer prognosis from published prospective cohort studies, as well as the effect of diet interventions by means of randomised controlled trials (RCT). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, and a total of 35 prospective cohort studies and 14 RCT published between 2011 and 2021 were selected. Better overall diet quality was associated with improved survival among breast and colorectal cancer survivors; adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated to lower risk of mortality in colorectal and prostate cancer survivors. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model showed that higher versus lower diet quality was associated with a 23% reduction in overall mortality in breast cancer survivors. There was evidence that dietary interventions, generally combined with physical activity, improved overall quality of life, though most studies were in breast cancer survivors. Further cohort and intervention studies in other cancers are needed to make more specific recommendations.
Highlights
Accepted: 11 January 2022The term cancer survivor is generically applied to people living with a cancer diagnosis, including those who have been cured or recovered from the disease [1]
90 new articles were identified through the systematic screening of references in reviews and meta-analyses found in the previous step, resulting in 108 articles selected
An overview of the results reveals that the majority of dietary patterns characterised by a ‘high quality’ diet, often defined according to existing guidelines, as well as a priori patterns defined as nutritionally ‘healthy’, can be associated with improved survival in breast and colon cancer survivors
Summary
The term cancer survivor is generically applied to people living with a cancer diagnosis, including those who have been cured or recovered from the disease [1]. This definition includes people who have been diagnosed but have not yet started treatment, as well as patients being treated, and those who are at an advanced stage of the disease, in the present review we refer to people who have been treated and have had a satisfactory response to treatment. The diagnosis and treatment of cancer have experienced important advances in recent decades. There have been substantial advances in the management and Published: 14 January 2022
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