A new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests a dietary change could impact survival rates for prostate cancer patients. Researchers examined dietary fat intake and its association with mortality in patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer. They found replacing animal and saturated fats with plant-based and unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and nuts, is linked to lower mortality risk.
Study Findings
The study involved nearly 5,000 nonmetastatic prostate cancer patients, with an average diagnosis age of 69.5 years. During a median follow-up of 12.8 years, over 3,000 patients died. Deaths included around 400 from prostate cancer, 500 from other cancers, and 800 from cardiovascular disease. The study noted higher saturated fat intake post-diagnosis increased all-cause mortality risk.
Even modest dietary adjustments had significant effects. Replacing 5% of calories from carbohydrates with animal or saturated fats increased all-cause mortality. Conversely, replacing 5% of saturated fat calories with monounsaturated or plant-based fats reduced mortality risk. Specifically, substituting 5% of carbohydrate calories with saturated fats was linked to a 15% increase in total deaths. A similar study, the Physicians’ Health Study, found that replacing 10% of calories from animal fat with plant-based fat reduced death risk by 44%.
Plant-Based Fats’ Benefits
Dr. Daniel Petrylak from Yale University noted high-fat diets elevate inflammation markers that may promote cancer growth. Reducing inflammation could mitigate cancer progression signals. He also emphasized the role of cardiovascular health in mortality among prostate cancer patients, suggesting plant-based diets could improve heart health and reduce death rates.
Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan of the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology highlighted health benefits of plant-based fats, such as olive oil and nuts. These unsaturated fats can lower LDL cholesterol, benefiting cardiovascular health. Dr. Leonard Gomella from Jefferson Medical College advised that what’s beneficial for heart health benefits prostate health too. However, Chinnaiyan warned that while coconut and palm oils are plant-derived, they are high in saturated fat. Thus, recommendations should focus on unsaturated sources.
Implications of the Study
Chinnaiyan pointed out that many men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer live for extended periods post-diagnosis. Thus, maintaining cardiovascular health is crucial for long-term survival. As cardiovascular disease caused more deaths than prostate cancer in the study, these findings underscore the importance of comprehensive patient care during survivorship.
Gomella commented that patients could positively influence their cancer outcomes by adjusting their diets. These findings affirm existing dietary fat recommendations for prostate cancer. Chinnaiyan advised patients to make simple swaps like using olive oil instead of butter or reducing saturated fats with nuts, seeds, or avocados. While these changes may have overall health benefits, they should not be seen as a guaranteed way to slow cancer progression or extend survival.
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