Foods that increase the risk of cancer

Cancer is a collective term that covers a wide group of diseases that can affect any organs and systems of the human body.

The modern strategy of fighting cancer, in addition to creating targeted drugs for molecular targets of tumor cells, immunotherapy based on the use of the protective properties of the body’s own immune cells to destroy malignant cells, is another direction based on the use of nutritional factors. The fact is that for active growth, tumor cells need energy, so they use the nutrients of healthy cells located around them. Therefore, at the present time, the questions of which nutrients promote or, conversely, hinder the growth of tumor cells remain relevant. That is, about how what we eat affects the development of cancer, and whether there are ways to starve cancer cells without causing additional suffering to the patient and without dooming him to malnutrition or hunger. For example, we are talking about minimizing sugar intake. Indeed, some cancer cells metabolize glucose at levels higher than normal to support aerobic glycolysis, and restricting sugar intake may slow their growth. However, in a publication in the journal Science Signaling, an international team of researchers noted that “only some cancer cells are highly sensitive to glucose uptake, and the underlying mechanism for this selective sensitivity is unclear.” Therefore, a low-sugar diet may help fight some forms of cancer, but that doesn’t mean that if a tumor needs sugar, cutting it out can cure cancer. According to another study published in the journal Nature in 2018, the amino acid histidine affects methotrexate, a drug used in cancer chemotherapy and a number of other diseases, while the amino acid asparagine is involved in the progression of metastasis in breast cancer. In 2018, a review by the Cancer Institute at Rutgers University in New Jersey (USA) presented data on methionine intake restriction, the researchers defined this as a “promising anticancer strategy”. Dietary restriction of the amino acid methionine has been effective in brain tumors and melanomas. Methionine is found in large quantities in eggs and red fish, in normal cells it is synthesized from homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12. Considering that many types of cancer cells lack the enzyme that is involved in the synthesis of methionine, an external source of methionine from food is necessary for their survival. If this source is turned off, then the development of the tumor can slow down, while the person will not suffer from starvation. Experimental studies show that metabolic therapy cannot be universal and that what makes one tumor grow more slowly may accelerate the growth of another.

What triggers the development of cancer cells

Cancer occurs as a result of the transformation of normal cells into tumor cells, when a precancerous lesion can turn into a malignant tumor. Such changes are the result of an interaction between genetic factors and categories of external factors, which include:

• physical carcinogens such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation;
• chemical carcinogens such as asbestos, tobacco smoke components, aflatoxins (as harmful impurities in food) and arsenic (as harmful impurities in drinking water);
• biological carcinogens, such as infections caused by certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

But back to metabolic therapy. Nutrients or vitamins cannot simply be divided into good and bad, or cancer-causing and cancer-fighting. It can be unequivocally argued that complete nutrition is an important part of healing from any disease, and there is no evidence that complete fasting is good or even safe. It is likely that an increased focus on certain diets will become part of new cancer treatment strategies in the coming years. In 2018, the journal Nature (Simon R. Knott et al., Nature., 2018) published a study that caused further havoc among nutritionists, as the authors of this article from various institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States emphasized that “limiting asparagine by knocking down asparagine synthetase, treatment with L-asparaginase, or restricting dietary asparagine reduces metastasis without affecting the growth of primary breast cancer, while increased dietary asparagine promotes metastatic progression/spread of the cancer.” However, L-asparagine supports the metabolic processes for the growth of all cells, including normal healthy cells as well as cancer cells, so it is unlikely that it is possible to limit the intake of any food containing L-asparagine. In addition, our body produces L-asparagine in cells even if it is not obtained through diet/nutrition.

The study focused on the role of L-asparagine, it is important to note that this study used a tumor cell line grown in a laboratory and implanted in mice without an immune system. Therefore, the results of the study cannot be transferred directly to humans. However, based on the results of the study, it was concluded that for patients with oncological formations, it is important to reduce the use of asparagine contained in:

• physical carcinogens such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation;
• chemical carcinogens such as asbestos, tobacco smoke components, aflatoxins (as harmful impurities in food) and arsenic (as harmful impurities in drinking water);
• biological carcinogens, such as infections caused by certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

The first information about the results of laboratory research was published by Nature, a scientific journal. As reported in the material, cancer cells spread to neighboring organs due to asparagine. Asparagine is a non-essential amino acid, that is, it is in the body of every person, but it can also come from food. In a healthy body, this amino acid is needed for the normal functioning of the nervous system. However, for patients with cancer, it plays a more negative role than a positive one.

Scientists have long noted that patients with breast cancer die in most cases from cancer of the bones, brain, and lungs. This led to the conclusion that cancer cells are capable of spreading throughout the body. Scientists from the Institute for Cancer Research found that asparagine promotes the transport of pathogenic cells from one organ to another. Under the influence of the amino acid, cancer cells are transformed into a form that allows them to separate from the mammary gland and enter the bloodstream. With the bloodstream, these particles are carried throughout the body, thus joining other tissues and organs.

To confirm the guesses, a study was conducted on laboratory animals. For the experiment, mice with breast cancer were bred, they were divided into two groups. One control group was given food saturated with asparagine. During the observations, the number of deaths from metastases was much higher than in the second group, which ate the usual food. All mice were then fed a diet without the amino acid, which again reduced the incidence of metastases. Which confirmed the asparagine theory.

Scientists from Cambridge made the final conclusion after they introduced an asparaginase inhibitor to the animals. This is a substance with an enzyme that blocks and destroys an amino acid. The incidence of tumor spread and death among test mice further decreased. Based on these tests, it was concluded that it is important for cancer patients to reduce their asparagine intake. It is in:

• asparagus;
• tomatoes;
• whey;
• soy;
• poultry meat;
• beans;
• nuts;
• fish;
• eggs;
• whole grains;
• raw milk.

Presented in this list, almost all the components are important and useful food. Therefore, the most common recommendation at this time is to follow a healthy diet, unless a special diet has been recommended by the oncologist. In a recent study published in JNCI Cancer Spectrum, scientists assessed seven dietary factors in the development of cancer: low consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dairy products, and high consumption of processed meats, red meat and sugary sodas. As it turns out, those who rarely consume whole grains are most at risk. Further, the precipitating factors ranged as follows: low consumption of dairy products, high consumption of processed meats, low consumption of vegetables and fruits, high consumption of red meat and sweetened drinks.

To build a diet, it is recommended to pay attention to fruits, as they contain vitamins and fiber. Particular preference should be given to green foods: broccoli, seaweed, dandelion leaves, zucchini, Brussels sprouts. Pineapples, garlic, green tea, pomegranates and berries are also very useful for tumors and for their prevention. The diet has not yet been associated with the development of cancer, but to support the immune system and the whole body, it is better to eat in moderation.

A diet, even with the exclusion of harmful components, will not be able to completely solve the problem of oncological formations. But with its help, you can prevent the recurrence of the disease, reduce the risk of metastases, strengthen the body’s strength to fight pathology. When building the rules for fighting cancer, one should not forget that alcohol and nicotine are the best conditions for the destruction of tissues and vital systems.

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