Evidence that a low‐fat diet reduces the occurrence of non‐melanoma skin cancer

Abstract

The effect of a low-fat diet on occurrence of non-melanoma skin cancer was examined in a 2-year dietary intervention trial. A total of 101 skin-cancer patients were randomized either to a control group that consumed, on average, 38% of caloric intake as fat, and in which no changes in dietary habits were introduced, or to a low-fat dietary-intervention group, in which patients were instructed to limit their calories from fat to 20% of total caloric intake. Patients were examined at 4-month intervals by dermatologists blinded to their dietary assignments. Nutrient analyses, conducted at each of the 4-month follow-up visits, indicated that the % calories of fat consumed in the intervention group had been reduced to 21% at 4 months and remained below this level throughout the 2-year period. There were no significant differences in total calories consumed, or in mean body weights, between the control and the intervention groups. Nor were there significant group differences in P/S ratios until month 24. Numbers of new skin cancers treated at each examination were analyzed in 8-month periods of the 2-year study. Comparisons of skin-cancer occurrences revealed no significant changes in the control group from baseline values. However, cancer occurrence in the low-fat intervention group declined after the first 8-month period and reached statistical significance by the last 8-month period. Patients in this group had significantly fewer cancers in the last 8-month period than did patients in the control group. In addition, there was a significant reduction in the number of patients developing skin cancer in the last 8-month period, as compared with the first 8-month period, within the low-fat intervention group. There were no significant changes in the control group. These data indicate that a low-fat diet can significantly reduce occurrence of a highly prevalent form of cancer.

Novel Hedgehog pathway targets against basal cell carcinoma

“…As mentioned earlier, BCC risk may be decreased with a low-fat diet (Black et al, 1995). It is unclear what component of a low-fat diet may be responsible for the anti-BCC effect.…”

“…One provocative study has suggested that BCC may also be prevented with a low-fat diet. In a randomized clinical trial, one hundred patients who had already developed one non-melanoma skin cancer were placed on either a normal or a low-fat diet, and followed for 2 years for the development of skin cancer (Black et al, 1995). A low-fat diet was found to reduce significantly the occurrence of BCCs in this randomized, cohort study (Black et al, 1994;Black et al, 1995).…”

“…In a randomized clinical trial, one hundred patients who had already developed one non-melanoma skin cancer were placed on either a normal or a low-fat diet, and followed for 2 years for the development of skin cancer (Black et al, 1995). A low-fat diet was found to reduce significantly the occurrence of BCCs in this randomized, cohort study (Black et al, 1994;Black et al, 1995). However, subsequent observational studies using questionnaires to assess diet failed to find a protective effect of a low fat diet against BCC carcinogenesis (McNaughton et al, 2005).…”

Food intake and risk of basal cell carcinoma in an 11-year prospective study of Australian adults

“…These food groups or their major nutrient content have previously been demonstrated in in vitro, animal or human studies to prevent photocarcinogenesis or have shown to be associated with non-melanoma skin cancer. This includes foods rich in antioxidants (fruits, vegetables; Kune et al, 1992;Heinen et al, 2007); high or low in fat (low-fat dairy, processed meat, red meat, poultry; Black et al, 1995;van Dam et al, 2000); high in omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (oily fish; Black and Rhodes, 2006) or high in other polyphenolic compounds (Hakim et al, 2000). The daily intakes of food groups (in grams) were calculated by summing intakes of individual foods comprising each food group for each participant.…”

Effects of temperature and solvent on antioxidant properties of curry leaf (Murraya koenigii L.)

“…Reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing damage to DNA, proteins and lipids, have been associated with carcinogenesis, coronary heart disease and many other health problems (Black et al 1995;Cadenas and Davies 2000). Minimizing oxidative damage may well be one of the most important approaches to prevention of these oxidative stress-related diseases and health problems, since antioxidants terminate direct ROS attacks and radicalmediated oxidative reactions (Burits and Bucar 2000;Yu et al 2002).…”