Can Diet Slow Prostate Cancer Growth? Promising Results from New Study
New research suggests that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids, supplemented with fish oil, may slow the progression of prostate cancer in men on active surveillance.
The phase 2 CAPFISH-3 trial, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, involved 100 men with low-risk or favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer who were being monitored with active surveillance.Participants were randomly assigned to either continue their normal diet or adopt a high omega-3, low omega-6 diet supplemented with fish oil capsules. Those in the intervention group received personalized dietary counseling from a registered dietician nutritionist.
after one year, the study found a statistically notable difference in the change of Ki-67 index, a biomarker for prostate cancer progression, between the two groups. The Ki-67 index decreased by 15% in the dietary intervention group, while it increased by 24% in the control group.
“This is an significant step toward understanding how diet can potentially influence prostate cancer outcomes,” said lead author William J. Aronson, MD, professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “Many men are interested in lifestyle changes, including diet, to help manage their cancer and prevent the progression of their disease. Our findings suggest that something as simple as adjusting your diet could potentially slow cancer growth and extend the time before more aggressive interventions are needed.”
