Eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit could cut chances of prostate cancer spreading by half

A diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains may reduce the chances of prostate cancer spreading by almost half.

Men who ate the most plant-based foods were less likely to see their cancer grow, spread to the bones or ultimately die from it than those who ate the least.

Scientists believe this could be in part down to the high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruit and vegetables, which have been shown to protect against the disease.

The findings indicate simple lifestyle changes can help many men living with lower-level disease to live a full life

The research involved more than 2,000 men in the U.S. diagnosed with localised prostate cancer between 1999 to 2018 which had not spread.

They were quizzed about their diet and lifestyle and followed for an average of 6.5 years.

Those with the most plant-based diets typically ate 1.9 more portions of vegetables, 1.6 additional servings of fruit and 0.9 more servings of whole grains a day than those who ate the least.

They also ate on average one less serving of dairy, 0.4 less servings of animal fat, slightly less egg and marginally less meat.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, found that prostate cancer progression, including recurrence, was 47 per cent lower in those with the highest plant-based diets.

“These findings suggest that consuming a primarily plant-based diet may be associated with better prostate cancer-specific health outcomes among men with prostate cancer,” they wrote in the JAMA journal.

“Slightly reducing intake of animal products and placing more emphasis on more nutrient-dense plant-based foods may be advantageous.”

It builds on previous research that showed the Mediterranean diet – which also includes oily fish – was linked to slower tumour progression among men with localised prostate cancer.

Eating less meat and dairy has also been associated with a reduction in the common side-effects seen in prostate cancer patients, including erectile dysfunction and loss of bladder control.

It comes the day after experts declared the UK was at the start of a ‘prostate cancer revolution’ with a trial which is hoped will lead to a national screening programme.

In a major victory for the Daily Mail’s End Needless Prostate Deaths campaign, the Transform trial will enrol 300,000 men to find how best to catch it early and differentiate aggressive from low-risk cancers.

Scientists are confident this will double the number of men that could be saved by screening, reducing deaths by 40 per cent.

D r Matthew Hobbs. director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This could save thousands of men’s lives every year in the UK. But it won’t just be the UK — this trial could change practice globally.”