Nutrition and colorectal cancer

By Louise Oakley, RD
Special to the Saipan Tribune

Did you know that March is Colorectal Cancer month?

Colorectal cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine) or cancer that forms in the tissues of the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine before the anus). It is estimated that there will be approximately 108,070 new cases of colon cancer and 40,740 of rectal cancer in the United States in 2008. Estimated deaths are 49,960 for colon and rectal combined.

According to the Department of Public Health’s Vital Statistics Office there have been 74 diagnoses of colorectal cancer since 1994 in the CNMI (73% male: 27% female). Almost 50 % of those 74 cases are from Chamorro descent.

No one knows the exact causes of colorectal cancer, but we do know that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop colorectal cancer. Something that may increase a person’s chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor.

Some of the risk factors for colorectal cancer include:

– Age over 50

– Colorectal polyps: Polyps are growths on the inner wall of the colon or rectum,

– Family history of colorectal cancer

– Cigarette smoking

– Diet: Research suggest that diets high in fat (especially animal fat) and low in calcium, folate and fiber may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. As well, some studies suggest that people who eat a diet very low in vegetables and fruit may have a higher risk of colorectal cancer.

Research also shows that if everyone ate a healthy diet, was physically active and maintained/achieved a healthy weight, the number of cancer cases would be reduced by one third. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research’s Second Expert Report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, the following recommendations can reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer and all cancers in general:

[B]Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.[/B]

Maintaining and/or achieving a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to lower your cancer risk. Not only does it make us feel better mentally and physically, it also reduces our risk for other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
[B] Be physically active for at least 30 minutes everyday.[/B]

Research shows that any form of physical activity can reduce our cancer risk. It also helps to keep our hormone levels healthy, which is important because having high levels of certain hormones can increase our cancer risk.

[B]Avoid sugary drinks.[/B]

Limit consumption of energy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high in added sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat) – Sugary drinks include soft drinks and juice flavored drinks. Water is the best alternative. Even 100% fruit juice can contain a lot of sugar and it is best to limit this to one glass a day. Energy-dense foods tend to be processed foods with added sugar and fat, resulting in more calories per ounce.

[B]Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.[/B]

Plant-based foods help keep the body healthy and strengthen our immune system. They are also good sources of phytochemicals which reduce cell damage that can lead to cancer. Plant-based foods provide us with fiber which is the “roughage” or undigestible part of plant food. Fiber helps to move the end-products of digestion quickly through the bowels. One theory is the less time these end-products sit in the colon, the less likely these cells are exposed to potentially harmful compounds.

[B]Limit consumption of red meats (beef, pork, lamb) and avoid processed meats.[/B]

Processed meats refer to meats preserved by smoking, curing, salting or by the addition of preservatives. Examples include SPAM, corned beef, hot dogs, sausages, bacon. Research shows we can eat up to 18 ounces a week of red meat without raising cancer risk (a 3-ounce portion is about the size of a deck of cards). Cancer risk starts to increase with any portion of processed meat consumed.

[B]If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to two for men and one for women a day.[/B]

There is strong evidence that any type of alcohol increases the risk of cancer, including colorectal cancer in men and women. It is particularly harmful when combined with smoking.

[B]Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).[/B]

Foods such as processed meats, canned soups, fast foods, Ajinomoto, soy sauce and oyster sauce are very high in salt. Take the salt shaker off the table and prepare foods with herbs and spices instead of salt.

[I](Louise Oakley, RD is a registered dietitian at the Division of Public Health.)[/I]