Scientists identify ultra-processed foods that fuel colon cancer and healthy alternatives that may offset the damage
Ultra-processed foods may be fueling a rise in colon-cancer cases — but healthy foods could unlock new ways to prevent or treat the disease, new research suggests.
Researchers from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute analyzed more than 100 tumor samples from patients. They were looking for compounds called bioactive lipids, molecules that can increase or decrease inflammation in the body.
The research team found that tumor samples contained a high proportion of these inflammation-causing compounds compared with healthy tissue.
Researchers from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute analyzed more than 100 tumor samples from patients. They were looking for compounds called bioactive lipids, molecules that can increase or decrease inflammation in the body.
The research team found that tumor samples contained a high proportion of these inflammation-causing compounds compared with healthy tissue.
Previous evidence has linked increased inflammation to diets high in processed food, such as chips, sausages, packaged desserts, and refined carbs.
Processed food shows up almost everywhere in our diets, and evidence increasingly suggests it's a factor in worsening health. At the same time, colon-cancer cases are on the rise in younger people, and it's now the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the US.
The research team also found that the tumors were lacking in molecules associated with healing and lowering inflammation.
The inside look at the tumors could give scientists the tools to fight cancer by trying to balance the body's immune response, slowing or stopping tumor growth by cutting back on inflammatory compounds and boosting healthy ones.
One source of these kinds of molecules is our diet, from foods such as leafy greens and seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
"If the molecules are coming from processed food products, they directly imbalance the immune system and drive chronic inflammation," Ganesh Halade, a professor at the University of South Florida Health Heart Institute who coauthored the study, said in a press release. "Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume."
The inside look at the tumors could give scientists the tools to fight cancer by trying to balance the body's immune response, slowing or stopping tumor growth by cutting back on inflammatory compounds and boosting healthy ones.
One source of these kinds of molecules is our diet, from foods such as leafy greens and seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
"If the molecules are coming from processed food products, they directly imbalance the immune system and drive chronic inflammation," Ganesh Halade, a professor at the University of South Florida Health Heart Institute who coauthored the study, said in a press release. "Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume."
Omega-3 vs Omega-6 Fatty Acids
The western diet, low in fibre and rich in omega-6 fatty acids such linolenic acid (LA), a metabolic precursor of a arachidonic acid (AA), has been strongly linked to chronic inflammation and CRC development and progression, whereas the omega-3-rich diet has been proposed to have the opposite effect (source).Fighting cancer with fish oil
The study, published December 10, 2024 in the journal Gut, is the first from a project funded by a five-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
The results are helping researchers better understand how food may influence cancer risk, Dr. Timothy Yeatman, a professor of surgery at the University of South Florida who's the senior author of the study, said in a press release.
Cancer is like a "chronic wound that won't heal," and a daily diet of ultra-processed foods can make it harder for the body to fight off tumors because of the increased inflammation, Yeatman said.
The results are helping researchers better understand how food may influence cancer risk, Dr. Timothy Yeatman, a professor of surgery at the University of South Florida who's the senior author of the study, said in a press release.
Cancer is like a "chronic wound that won't heal," and a daily diet of ultra-processed foods can make it harder for the body to fight off tumors because of the increased inflammation, Yeatman said.
While it's not news that spinach and seafood are better for you than doughnuts and soda, pinpointing the link between food and inflammation unlocks more effective strategies to stave off disease in the future.
For example, the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute has conducted early trials of a modified form of fish oil with promising results for reducing inflammation, the press release said.
"This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes," Yeatman said. "It's a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start."
For example, the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute has conducted early trials of a modified form of fish oil with promising results for reducing inflammation, the press release said.
"This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes," Yeatman said. "It's a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start."
In the meantime, there's evidence that your best bet for a longer, healthier life is sticking to a diet of mostly whole, unprocessed foods such as veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Key Takeaways
Dr. Timothy Yeatman, professor of surgery at the University of South Florida (USF) Health Morsani College of Medicine, associate center director for Translational Research and Innovation at the Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute, and a corresponding author of the study, said we should be mindful of our diets and look at ingredient labels.
“These results (study findings) underscore the need for additional studies that explore what specifically in our diet drives a person’s risk of tumor formation,” Dr. Raaj Mehta, instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, attending physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and not part of the study, told The Epoch Times. “Prevention is essential. We need better ways to counsel our patients about what not to eat and why.
“Hundreds of studies have shown a connection between what we eat and our risk for colorectal cancer. We think this may be mediated by the trillions of bacteria in our digestive tract.”
While little is known about how preservatives and artificial sweeteners affect the microbiome, Yeatman said the microbiome is a critical component in cancer development because it’s the microbiome that processes fats and turns them into different compounds.
“We are supersaturated with arachidonic acid, which is omega-6,” he said. As omega-6 is an essential fatty acid, Yeatman emphasized that he is not saying it’s a bad oil but that too much of anything is bad. “So you should be eating a balanced one-to-one ratio.”
The findings of this study also introduce the concept of resolution medicine, a natural approach to treating inflammation. “It’s based on a concept that natural agents may induce lipid class switching,” Yeatman said.
The study opens the door for new avenues for treatment alongside traditional methods, including resolvin therapies, which use natural agents such as frankincense, cannabidiol (CBD) oil, and celastrol to support this metabolic shift, gene targeting to alter pro-inflammatory pathways, and reprogramming the tumor microenvironment to enhance anti-inflammatory responses.
“Hundreds of studies have shown a connection between what we eat and our risk for colorectal cancer. We think this may be mediated by the trillions of bacteria in our digestive tract.”
While little is known about how preservatives and artificial sweeteners affect the microbiome, Yeatman said the microbiome is a critical component in cancer development because it’s the microbiome that processes fats and turns them into different compounds.
“We are supersaturated with arachidonic acid, which is omega-6,” he said. As omega-6 is an essential fatty acid, Yeatman emphasized that he is not saying it’s a bad oil but that too much of anything is bad. “So you should be eating a balanced one-to-one ratio.”
The findings of this study also introduce the concept of resolution medicine, a natural approach to treating inflammation. “It’s based on a concept that natural agents may induce lipid class switching,” Yeatman said.
The study opens the door for new avenues for treatment alongside traditional methods, including resolvin therapies, which use natural agents such as frankincense, cannabidiol (CBD) oil, and celastrol to support this metabolic shift, gene targeting to alter pro-inflammatory pathways, and reprogramming the tumor microenvironment to enhance anti-inflammatory responses.
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