A plant-based diet reduces the likelihood of prostate cancer progression

Men with prostate cancer may be able to significantly reduce their chances of their disease getting worse by eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts and olive oil, according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco.

A study of more than 2,000 men with localized prostate cancer found that eating a predominantly plant-based diet was associated with a 47% lower risk of cancer progression compared to those who consumed the most animal products.

That meant just adding one or two servings of healthy foods a day, especially vegetables, fruits and whole grains, while reducing their intake of animal products such as dairy and meat. The study followed the men, whose average age was 65, over time to see how dietary factors affected the progression of their cancer.

Plant-based diets include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, vegetable oils, tea and coffee. The researchers measured intake using a plant-based food index and compared men in the top 20 percent with those in the bottom 20 percent.

“These findings may help people make better, healthier choices overall across their diet, rather than just adding or eliminating individual foods,” said Vivian N. Liu, former lead clinical research coordinator at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health and first author of the study published in JAMA Network Open.

“Progression to more advanced disease is one of many important concerns among prostate cancer patients, their families, caregivers, and physicians,” she added. “This adds to the many other health benefits associated with consuming a predominantly plant-based diet, such as reduced risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality.”

Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds

Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular in the United States, and evidence is mounting of their benefits for patients with prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer among men in the country after nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory compounds that have been shown to protect against prostate cancer, and previous research has consistently demonstrated the importance of dietary factors for overall health and well-being.

Small changes in diet every day are beneficial. Higher intake of plant-based foods after a prostate cancer diagnosis has also recently been associated with improved quality of life, including sexual function, urinary function and vitality, so it's beneficial on both sides."

Stacy A. Canfield, MD, senior author, UCSF Professor of Urology and the Helen Diller Family Chair in Population Science in Urologic Cancer.