Food for thought: How diet can impact colorectal cancer risk

March 18, 2008

Los Angeles, March 14—March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and there is no better time to start thinking about prevention.

Colorectal cancer is the third most-common cause of cancer-related death in men and women in the nation. Diet can have a significant impact on a person’s risk for developing the cancer, says Heinz-Josef Lenz, M.D., professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“The most important risk factor is red meat, particularly beef,” he says. “The countries with the highest beef consumption are the ones with the highest colon cancer risk. White meat such as chicken and pork don’t seem to be associated with colon cancer risk.”

Alcohol consumption is another major risk factor, particularly for women, Lenz notes. To reduce risk, people should limit themselves to one glass of wine per day.

“Avoiding alcohol and decreasing intake of red meat can decrease your risk of colon cancer significantly,” he says.

People should have rich sources of calcium intake, such as dairy products, daily. It is also important to include fiber-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables and reduce intake of fatty foods. One of the most powerful ways to reduce colon cancer development is vitamin D and calcium.

“With easy adjustments in your diet, supplements such as calcium and modest exercise you can reduce your risk of colon cancer by more than 50 percent,” says Lenz.

For more information on colorectal cancer, visit Dr. Lenz’s blog at http://www.revolutionhealth.com/pages/colon-cancer