No food or food group can prevent cancer and excluding specific foods won't eliminate your risk. But eating a diet based on plant foods like vegetables, whole grains, beans and fruit and following some basic guidelines can help you reduce your risk for cancer and several other chronic diseases.
Ketogenic diet
Early (preclinical) studies show that some cancer cells can't use ketones as energy. So, by changing the diet to be high in fat and low in carbohydrate, glucose levels are low, and cancer cells are starved. Normal body cells adapt and can use ketones to survive.
Plant-based Proteins. Some of the best foods to eat during chemotherapy or other cancer treatments are plant-based proteins. They offer the highest levels of vitamins and minerals, Rajagopal says. This means eating lots of vegetables as well as beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Extracellular nutrients, including amino acids, glucose and lipids, are major resources to drive the metabolic engine within tumor cells.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) block chemical messengers (enzymes) called tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine kinases help to send growth signals in cells, so blocking them stops the cell growing and dividing. Cancer growth blockers can block one type of tyrosine kinase or more than one type.
Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that slow down cell division or tell cells to die at the right time (a process known as apoptosis or programmed cell death). When tumor suppressor genes don't work properly, cells can grow out of control, which can lead to cancer.
The Mediterranean diet offers foods that fight cancer, focusing mostly on plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. People who follow the Mediterranean diet choose cancer-fighting foods like olive oil over butter and fish instead of red meat. Sip green tea throughout your day.
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are the cells that recognize and destroy cancer cells, and they're first activated in tumor-draining lymph nodes. From there, they enter the bloodstream to reach tumors and battle malignant cells.
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, contain beneficial nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. Cruciferous vegetables also contain sulforaphane, a plant compound with potential anticancer properties.
A study published in 2021 found that exercise may help halt or slow the growth of tumors.
The immune system can help to fight cancer
Some cells of the immune system can recognise cancer cells as abnormal and kill them. But this may not be enough to get rid of a cancer altogether. Some treatments aim to use the immune system to fight cancer.
Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, teeth, and muscles and also plays a vital role in the function of nerves and the immune system. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) , research in mice indicates that vitamin D may slow or prevent the growth or development of cancer.
Tumours have been known to disappear spontaneously, in the absence of any targeted treatment, usually after an infection (bacterial, viral, fungal or even protozoal).
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as those found in fish oil, are thought to have anti-tumorigenic effects and may help to treat and prevent cancer, including ovarian cancer.
Many benign and malignant tumors can be treated with minimally invasive techniques, which usually avoid the pain, discomfort and longer recovery times of traditional surgery. These procedures may require only limited anesthesia and can be a viable option for many individuals who are not candidates for surgery.
Cancer cells have the same needs as normal cells. They need a blood supply to bring oxygen and nutrients to grow and survive. When a tumour is very small, it can easily grow, and it gets oxygen and nutrients from nearby blood vessels.
Vitamin D is one of the most studied supplements for cancer prevention and treatment right now. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene contain antioxidants once thought to help prevent cancer.
All cells, including cancer cells, use glucose as their primary fuel. Glucose comes from any food that contains carbohydrates including healthful foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dairy.