Coloring Compound in Fruits, Veggies May Cut Colon Cancer Risk


SUNDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Compounds called anthocyanins, which give color to most red, purple and blue fruits and vegetables, may help protect against colon cancer, an Ohio State University study says.
In laboratory tests on rats and on human colon cancer cells, the researchers found that anthocyanins can significantly slow the growth of colon cancer cells. The team also found that, in some cases, slightly altering the structure of anthocyanin molecules boosted their anti-cancer properties.
The findings, presented Sunday at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in Boston, may help advance knowledge about what gives fruits and vegetables their cancer-fighting properties which, in turn, could eventually lead to the development of new cancer treatments.
"These foods contain many compounds, and we're just starting to figure out what they are and which ones provide the best health benefits," lead author Monica Giusti, an assistant professor of food science at the university, said in a prepared statement.
She did not recommend certain kinds fruits or vegetables over others, and noted that much more research needs to be conducted on anthocyanins. Currently, she and her colleagues are examining how anthocyanins interact with other compounds in foods to determine if these interactions affect the health benefits of the foods or of anthocyanin itself.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about healthy eating, exercise and cancer prevention.

Red Meat, Dairy Nutrient May Raise Colon Cancer Risk

By Randy DotingaHealthDay ReporterTue Aug 7, 7:02 PM ET
TUESDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that a nutrient in red meat, poultry and dairy products may contribute to the development of intestinal polyps, which can lead to colon cancer.
The study, which involved women only, was preliminary, and no one is yet suggesting a change in diet as a result.
However, the research into the nutrient, called choline, could ultimately lead to new dietary recommendations, said Eunyoung Cho, an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
"There may be some impact," Cho said. "But this is one study, and it's hard to make any conclusion based on this study."
The role played by choline, a nutrient required by the body, has been unclear. Some researchers had thought it might provide protection against colon cancer, which kills an estimated 52,000 people in the United States each year, according to the American Cancer Society. The disease is the second biggest cancer killer in the United States after lung cancer.
In the new study, Cho and colleagues looked at nurses enrolled in a large study. They found more than 39,000 women who were free of colon cancer and then underwent at least one endoscopic examination between 1984 and 2002. Polyps -- benign growths that can lead to colon cancer -- were found in more than 2,400 of the women.
Women who ate the most choline in their food were 1.45 times more likely to have polyps, the team reported in the Aug. 7 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Having more polyps doesn't necessarily mean more cancer, and future research will explore whether those who ate the most choline actually developed tumors, Cho said. Studies also need to look into the impact of choline on men.
Why might choline contribute to polyps, and possibly colon cancer, in the first place? The nutrient is a major component of the membranes of cells, Cho said, "and the tumor cell may need choline."
Currently, health officials recommend that people prevent colon cancer by eating a lot of fiber along with fruits and vegetables. Red meat, meanwhile, is thought to increase risk.
That dietary advice isn't likely to change even if choline turns out to be a possible villain, said Regina Ziegler, a senior investigator with the National Cancer Institute, who co-wrote a commentary accompanying the new study. "What they're finding is consistent" with the recommendations, she said.
As for now, "people shouldn't run out and start either taking more choline or less choline," she said.
More information
There's more on colon cancer at the American Cancer Society.

Study Probes Whether Diet Can Cut Colon Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- A study to examine whether a Mediterranean diet can help prevent colon cancer is being conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Over three years, the researchers hope to recruit 120 people, age 21 or older, who've had colon polyps or colon cancer or have a family history of the disease. Participants will follow either a Mediterranean diet or the Healthy People 2010 diet for six months. They'll be able to choose foods they prefer from recommended food groups lists, and a dietitian will work closely with each participant by telephone.
Along with its emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, olive oil and nuts, the Mediterranean diet limits high fat meats and processed foods. The Healthy People 2010 diet -- from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains, along with moderate fat intake and limits on saturated fat.
"Overall eating patterns appear to be more important for cancer prevention than intakes of specific nutrients or food groups. We hope this study will give us an indication of the benefits that a person's diet can have on health, especially in terms of reducing the risk of colon cancer," Zora Djuric, research professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and principal investigator on the Healthy Eating for Colon Cancer Prevention study, said in a prepared statement.
A recently completed study of 70 women, ages 25 to 65, found that those who ate a Mediterranean diet decreased the amount of unhealthy polyunsaturated fat they consumed by 50 percent and increased their intake of healthy monounsaturated fats by the same amount.
The women on the Mediterranean diet also ate nearly double the amount of fruits and vegetables as women who ate a normal diet and had twice the blood levels of antioxidant micronutrients called carotenoids.
More information
The American Heart Association has more about the Mediterranean diet.