New study on meat intake and colorectal cancer

SandiaBuddy

Once again, from the "for what its worth" department, here is a study with mixed and interesting results about meat intake and colorectal cancer: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16546628.2017.1341810

In the present study, high intake of pork was associated with increased risk of CRC, and especially with colon cancer in women. In contrast, high intake of beef was associated with decreased risk of colon cancer, whereas it was associated with increased risk of rectal cancer in men. Furthermore, there was a trend for increased risk of CRC with higher intake of processed meat among the men, mainly driven by colon cancer. Fish intake was inversely associated with rectal cancer.

JanJan63

I agree

I agree with Kim. Due to always having IBS I never ate the way they say not to. I didn't even eat processed foods as a child more than rarely because it was a treat to have a hot dog or weiners and beans or something like that. My mom was a stay at hom mom and everything was made from scratch. As an adult I had the IBS and was unable to eat processed foods or ice cream or rich foods at all because it made it so much worse. And I never ate burned parts of barbequed steaks, I've read that that's carcinogenic. There's really no explanation for me getting it. I think it's just sheer bad luck. 

Jan

Woodytele

Studies

i ate a salad with my dinner everyday, kept myself in shape, and still got hit with cancer, Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones are still going strong smoking packs of cigarettes all day, things happen to people, there is not always a logical reason. 

EissetB

I had the cancer because I

I had the cancer because I didn't see my GI when I had to. I've been good to myself with organics. I even avoided to eat out. It is how you listen to your body. I mean, that's how I look at it.

coloCan

EissetB said:

I had the cancer because I

I had the cancer because I didn't see my GI when I had to. I've been good to myself with organics. I even avoided to eat out. It is how you listen to your body. I mean, that's how I look at it.

Supposedly Ron Wood was recently treated

for lung cancer....

SandiaBuddy

Purpose

Actually the purpose of my posting this is to relieve guilt and blame that some might feel because they ate red meat or something else.  We each will make our way forward in the best way we know how.  But I often hear people questioning how they got here and whether they did something wrong.  This is meant to address that.

lp1964

Dear Friends,

In my opinion denying that studies and statistics are useless because they don't work in every individual case is not helpful. Just because a smoker never had lung cancer doesn't mean that smoking doesn't increase the chance of getting lung cancer. Even in extreme cases like the atomic bombs in Japan not everybody got cancer from the radiation but thousands did. It's well known that in countries where smoked meats and fish products are consumed more the incidents of colorectal cancer is higher. 

It may give us a false sense of security and may decrease the level of guilt to bring up the exception to the rule, but I cannot tell my daughter to disregard the studies and statistical data and go ahead and smoke, consume tons of smoked red meat and lay out in the sun without protection, because your grandpa did all that and still lived to be 80. Carcinigens only increase the chance of getting cancer, but still worth considering if we care about our health or our loved one's. We carefully look at statistical data when considering chemo knowing it well that it only increases the chance, but doesn't guarantee of getting rid of our cancer.

Laz

SandiaBuddy

lp1964 said:

Dear Friends,

In my opinion denying that studies and statistics are useless because they don't work in every individual case is not helpful. Just because a smoker never had lung cancer doesn't mean that smoking doesn't increase the chance of getting lung cancer. Even in extreme cases like the atomic bombs in Japan not everybody got cancer from the radiation but thousands did. It's well known that in countries where smoked meats and fish products are consumed more the incidents of colorectal cancer is higher. 

It may give us a false sense of security and may decrease the level of guilt to bring up the exception to the rule, but I cannot tell my daughter to disregard the studies and statistical data and go ahead and smoke, consume tons of smoked red meat and lay out in the sun without protection, because your grandpa did all that and still lived to be 80. Carcinigens only increase the chance of getting cancer, but still worth considering if we care about our health or our loved one's. We carefully look at statistical data when considering chemo knowing it well that it only increases the chance, but doesn't guarantee of getting rid of our cancer.

Laz

Thanks

Thanks, Laz, I appreciate your comment.  I made a separate post on this here: https://csn.cancer.org/node/311453  I think it appropriate that we all exercise a bit of restraint and respect for the opinions of others.

NHMike

The ER doctor asked me if I

The ER doctor asked me if I was a big meat eater when she told me that it was likely cancer. I indicated that I wasn't though I did eat it in the past. The studies that I've read recently indicate that cancer is 2/3rds random stuff so, yes, you might be able to control the other 1/3rd. It doesn't really matter to me right now though because I have it and I have to deal with it.

My personal hunch is that the flu was a factor. But I only have a sample size of two on that one.

lp1964

SandiaBuddy said:

Thanks

Thanks, Laz, I appreciate your comment.  I made a separate post on this here: https://csn.cancer.org/node/311453  I think it appropriate that we all exercise a bit of restraint and respect for the opinions of others.

Out of respect....

...I started my reply with "In my opinion...".

Im a doctor myself and I will not hide the fact from my patients that for example chewing tobacco will increase the chance of getting oral cancer. That would be disservice to my patients and they need to be informed. 

Laz

Annabelle41415

Uggggg

To me these studies are worthless.  I've ate pretty healthy all my life.  Ate more steak than pork, ate more Chicken and Turkey and still got cancer.  These studies are useless because everything that I've done didn't work.  I'll never put my life in the hands of experts as I'm going to live my life and enjoy every moment of it.  If I'm craving a steak, fish, pork chop or drum stick I'll eat it.  If I'm craving ice cream, pie, or cheesecake, I'm eating it.  When asking my doctor if anything in my past was wrong he said "no" nothing.  So "for what is worth" department I'm saying live life the way you see fit.  Love it, because this is the only one you have.

Hugs!  Kim

benben

Studies on animal protiens

It's been well known for 20+ years that excessive animal protein consumption increasesed risk of cancer.

China Study for example suggests 10-15% animal protein in diet show significant reduction to cancer risk.

So no more than 15% of caloric intake should come from animal proteins, and the more processed the meat, the more risk of cancer induciton.

My Oncologist believes that diet has little to do with colon cancer, perhaps a little, but mostly its just a bad mix of things coming together simultaneously to allow cancer to spawn.

Such as exposure to carinogen, surpressed immune system (either from prolonged flue, pneumonia, mono - whatever), heridatary predispositions, diet,  weight, excercise, etc..

I had times (maybe 3) that I went on atkins and ate nearly 80% meat.  That was probably not such a good idea, other than that after hearing about the china study from my Doctor girlfriend at the time.  I drastically reduced animal protein consumption and my overall health improved.  I also enjoyed that steak much more when it was less frequent.

My other factors, weigh, smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, alchol consumption - none of those factors played a role for me.  Very active, good BMI range, don't smoke, don't drink.

I've heard from many a vegan, that have had colorectal cancer.  So diet may be a factor, it's probably quite minimal.

During chemo/radiation treatment it's important to get high levels of protein, and unfortunately that means an increase in meats.

High fiber diets unfortunately are not so kind to those of us who've had LAR procedures.  But I would suggest keeping up with healthy diets as much as possible post treatments.

 

good luck to all.

SandiaBuddy

China Study

It is interesting that in the China study he used milk protien, casien or something like that, with the rats.  For that reason many people shy away from milk.  However, for colorectal cancer recurrence (not initial occurrence) there is evidence that milk consumption reduces the risk.  http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.2014.55.3024

"postdiagnosis total calcium intake was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (relative risk [RR] for those in the highest relative to the lowest quartiles, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53-0.98; Ptrend = .02) and associated with marginally statistically significant reduced colorectal cancer-specific mortality (RR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.33 to 1.05; Ptrend = .01). An inverse association with all-cause mortality was also observed for postdiagnosis milk intake (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.94; Ptrend = .02), but not vitamin D intake." (Calcium over 1156 milligrams a day: my note)

betula

confusing

I find results of studies confusing.  Whether it be regarding cancer, intake of caffeine, organics, etc.  One study tells us they are bad for us and the next tells us they are good for us.  I know people who seem to be in a constant search for the perfect diet to improve or maintain good health.  First they were on plant based diet, then gluten and dairy free, then eating based on blood type.  Uggh.  My fall back postion continues to be everything in moderation with some exceptions of course such as tobacco. 

While saw palmetto may have helped some, milk proteins may have been the key for some one else, baby asprin some one else...who knows.  Some find comfort in following these recommendations which is absolutely fine.  No judgement here.  I find the more I research I do, the more stressed I become and have to step away and live life and be happy for what is happening today.  I know I cannot control everything and most difficult for me is not having the answers to some of the questions I have regarding my husbands cancer, both cause and future outcome.  We all have to do what makes us feel comfortable, both the patient and the caregiver.

Enjoy the weekend,

Betsy

SandiaBuddy

betula said:

confusing

I find results of studies confusing.  Whether it be regarding cancer, intake of caffeine, organics, etc.  One study tells us they are bad for us and the next tells us they are good for us.  I know people who seem to be in a constant search for the perfect diet to improve or maintain good health.  First they were on plant based diet, then gluten and dairy free, then eating based on blood type.  Uggh.  My fall back postion continues to be everything in moderation with some exceptions of course such as tobacco. 

While saw palmetto may have helped some, milk proteins may have been the key for some one else, baby asprin some one else...who knows.  Some find comfort in following these recommendations which is absolutely fine.  No judgement here.  I find the more I research I do, the more stressed I become and have to step away and live life and be happy for what is happening today.  I know I cannot control everything and most difficult for me is not having the answers to some of the questions I have regarding my husbands cancer, both cause and future outcome.  We all have to do what makes us feel comfortable, both the patient and the caregiver.

Enjoy the weekend,

Betsy

Individuality

Agreed.  There is a morass of information and each of us choose our route independently.  However, from my perspective there is a valuable body of research on colorectal cancer and recurrence and there are definite trends in the research that are consistent accross the studies.  For example, there is no doubt exercise and a healthy diet are valuable.  Further, healthy intake of Vitamin D and "bone" supplements like glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM and calcium are consistently beneficial.  As for other supplements, the results are preliminary, but what really could be the harm in taking or eating curcumin?  What is the risk in eating fish or tree nuts?  For me, it is a risk/benefit analysis and my approach is to do all that I can to maximize my odds of avoiding a recurrence of the cancer.

Annabelle41415

PeteLostAtSea

He tried everything (God Bless him) and went to every clinic around the world.  He actually did the coffee enemas and clinical trials in Germany.  He spent 100,000 and even more on treatment.  If you ever get a chance to look at his posts (if they haven't been deleted) look.  He was an amazing person that was in search of the perfect cure. 

Kim

PamRav

The four things.

I went to a GI cancer symposium this summer.  The expert doc there said there are only four known things that help prevent a reoccurrence 

eating tree nuts, exercise, vitaminD, and aspirin.   

Take it for what its worth 

NHMike

PamRav said:

The four things.

I went to a GI cancer symposium this summer.  The expert doc there said there are only four known things that help prevent a reoccurrence 

eating tree nuts, exercise, vitaminD, and aspirin.   

Take it for what its worth 

[i]

Those patients who consumed two or more servings of nuts per week had a 42% decreased risk for recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37–0.92; P = .03 for trend) and a 57% decreased risk for death (HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.25–0.74; P = .01 for trend) compared with patients who abstained from nuts.

http://www.cancernetwork.com/asco/nut-consumption-reduced-risk-colon-cancer-recurrence-death

BTW, I believe that the base study was for tree nuts and stuff like peanuts may not have the beneficial aspects of the other stuff.

Exercise I'm going to do anyways. I'll have to look into the vitamins.

Cindy225

I'm All In!

Since on this journey I'm all in for tree nuts, glucosamine, vitamin D, coffee and exercise. (Red wine, too!) Finally, able to resume more activity, eat tree nuts and drink coffee after reversing my ileostomy three weeks ago. So grateful for suggestions to live a healthy lifestyle and now have the ability and control to do it. So keep those research links coming!  :-)

Cindy

PamRav

You are right

peanuts won't help.   Only tree nuts.  

Before I was diagnosed I was craving walnuts like crazy. I went through bag after bag.  Apparently my body knew something I didn't. 

SandiaBuddy

Cindy225 said:

I'm All In!

Since on this journey I'm all in for tree nuts, glucosamine, vitamin D, coffee and exercise. (Red wine, too!) Finally, able to resume more activity, eat tree nuts and drink coffee after reversing my ileostomy three weeks ago. So grateful for suggestions to live a healthy lifestyle and now have the ability and control to do it. So keep those research links coming!  :-)

Cindy

Thanks Cindy

I have no plans to stop.  From my perspective, my obligation is to make the best choices based on the information I have or can obtain.  How others live is up to them, but this is my course.  Hopefully I will have time to do a write a comprehensive post updating strategies in the not too distant future.  Cheers.