What is cancer? Cancer can be more than 100 different diseases, which have a starting point in our cells. Genes inside a cell tell it what to do and when to perform certain actions. When genes mix up when telling the cell what to do, they start to grow and split uncontrollably. As time goes by these abnormal cells create tumors, which may or may not be cancerous. If the tumor is indeed cancerous then the cells start to spread through the body becoming life threatening. Cancers are named after the body part in which they start.
On February 27, researchers at conference held at the American Association for Cancer Research have announced that a diet based on fiber could improve cancer treatments. These scientists have been studying patients with melanoma cancer, which is a type of skin cancer. These patients have undergone therapy treatments called PD-1 blockade. Incredibly, they found out that patients who ate a diet, which was high in fiber, were 5 times more likely to have this therapy stop the growth or shrink tumors than those with diets of lower fiber.
Forty-six out of the patients that consumed the highest amount of fiber like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables tended to have more change in their microbiome having a positive response in their immune therapy. Other participants who ate meats and sugars were more likely to have their tumors grow bigger following these treatments. So remember when someone says you food is “high in fiber” know, fiber can also benefit your body.
