Patients who eat a diet very high in vegetables and fruit do not have a lower risk of having their breast cancer recur compared to women who followed a recommended diet of five or more servings a day of fruit and vegetables (the "5-A-Day" diet), according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
It's well-known that fruits and vegetables contain anticarcinogens, and many studies have suggested that a diet that includes lots of fruit and veggies can lower one's risk of developing cancer.
But few studies have ever looked at whether eating a lot of fruit and vegetables can slow the progression of cancer that has already been detected or prevent another recurrence.
Dr. John P. Pierce of the University of California, San Diego wanted to see whether a very high vegetable and fruit diet would reduce the risk of breast cancer recurring and reduce all-cause death among women previously treated for breast cancer.
He and his team studied 3,088 women who were previously treated for early stage breast cancer. The women were between 18 and 70 years old at diagnosis.
About half the group was randomly assigned to eat a diet that included five vegetable servings, 16 oz. of vegetable juice, and three fruit servings. The other group was followed the "5-A-Day" dietary guidelines.
Over the course of about seven years, 518 participants developed breast cancer:
- 256 participants (16.7 per cent) were from the high fruit and veggie diet
- 262 participants (16.9 per cent) were from the "5 a day" diet group.
There were 315 deaths reported within the study period, 80 per cent of them from breast cancer:
- 155 (10.1 per cent) were from the high fruit and veggie diet
- 160 (10.3 per cent) from the comparison group.
The study authors conclude there is "no evidence that adoption of a dietary pattern very high in vegetables, fruit, and fiber and low in fat vs. a 5-a-day fruit and vegetable diet prevents breast cancer recurrence or death among women with previously treated early stage breast cancer."
