Healthy Diet Linked To Higher Survival In Ovarian Cancer Patients

By Margarita Nahapetyan

According to researchers who study ovarian cancer, healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is associated with prolonged survival rates among patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

To come up with this conclusion, the investigators from the University of Illinois at Chicago analyzed the data of 351 women who were diagnosed with incident epithelial ovarian cancer (in case of epithelian ovarian cancer, malignant cells are present in the tissue that covers the ovary), and participated in a previous case-control study in which demographic, clinico-pathologic and lifestyle-related variables including diet had been evaluated.

For the study purposes, all women were asked to fill out a questionnaire where they reported their diet habits, including what they ate for 3 to five years before being diagnosed with epithelian ovarian cancer. The participants were offered a list of foods that were divided into major groups, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, milk products, fats, oils, sweets, and alcohol. Grains, meats, and milk products were, in turn, subdivided into healthier choices and less healthful categories. Less healthful meats included red meat and processed meats.

Analysis of the information provided by the participants revealed that women who reported a higher total consumption of fruits and vegetables, and those who had a greater intake of vegetables alone had an overall higher survival rates. When the experts examined vegetable subgroups, they found that only cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, and yellow vegetables were associated with a lengthier survival. Similarly, a significant improvement in survival was observed in patients who reported eating healthier grains.

The results also revealed that high intakes of red and cured meats were linked to a worse survival time. No association with survival time was found for white meats, such as chicken, turkey and fish. Researches said that there was also more risk related to milk and milk-based products intake. Women who consumed large amounts of lactose, calcium, and dairy products showed an approximate 30 per cent higher risk of premature death when compared to women who consumed the smallest amounts of these foods.

Although in their study the investigators examined only what the patients ate before being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, they say that eating healthy diet after diagnosis may also improve survival. For example, patients with breast cancer have shown that eating fruits and vegetables was related to better survivability outcomes.

The latest figures from the National Cancer Institute show that nearly 22,000 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2009 and about 15,000 died. According to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, the disease accounts for about 3 per cent of cancers in women, and it is the deadliest among all gynecologic cancers. Doctors say that women who are diagnosed at an early stage have a much higher 5-year survival rate, when compared to those who are diagnosed at a later stage, and yet less than 20 per cent of ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed at an early stage.

The finding were reported in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.