What is the latest evidence for nutritional management of patients undergoing treatment for cancer?

Abstract

s / Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism 1 (2014) 1e55 2 the more common cancers and contributed data to studies of less common cancers. While many associations evaluated were not strong our findings contribute to the overall evidence on which national and international recommendations are based. We have also added to the understanding of associations between diet and cancer by examining differences in associations between different cancer subgroups, such as by aggressiveness for prostate cancer or hormone receptor subtype for breast cancer. One area where reasonably consistent associations were found was for measures of body size. On the basis of this a TV campaign promoting waist circumferences of under 100 cm for men and 85 cm for women (6) was developed. New topics of research in this area include studies we are undertaking investigating whether DNA methylation in peripheral blood can predict cancer risk, and whether methylation could be a mechanism linking diet with cancer. We are also working with colleagues in the US to look at associations between a dietary inflammatory score and different cancer outcomes. Despite what we already know, the recent Australian Health Survey (7) indicates that Australians are not following recommendations that could help reduce cancer risk. Among people aged 18 years or older, 63% were obese or overweight, 48% met the Australian guidelines for fruit consumption (2 or more serves per day for adults), 8% met the guidelines for vegetable consumption (5 or more serves per day), around 20% consumed more than 2 standard drinks per day and 67% of those aged 15 years or older were sedentary or performed only a low level of exercise. Further research may refine recommendations and understanding of mechanisms bywhich diet canmodify cancer risk, but epidemiologists need toworkwith others to bring the benefits of this to the population in general. Funding source(s): NHMRC.