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Fiber
Lowers Risk of
Mouth, Throat Cancers
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who consume plenty of fiber-rich
foods may have a lower risk of cancers of the mouth and throat,
Italian researchers report.
The investigators
found that people who consumed the most fruit, vegetables and
whole grain cereals had about half the risk of these cancers compared
with people who consumed the least amount. Soluble fiber found
in foods such as oatmeal and fruit, and insoluble fiber found
in seeds and the skin of fruit, were both protective, according
to a report in the February issue of the International Journal
of Cancer.
The study
included 1000 patients hospitalized with mouth, throat and esophageal
cancer, and nearly 2,000 patients who were hospitalized for reasons
other than cancer.
``Our study
indicates that fiber intake may have a protective role on oral,
pharyngeal and esophageal cancer,'' write Dr. Maria Soler, from
the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri in Milan,
and colleagues.
Exactly how
fiber lowers these cancer risks is not clear. Fiber may slow the
digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and therefore limit
the amount of insulin that is released into the bloodstream. Too
much insulin--the hormone that regulates blood sugar--may result
in proteins in the blood known as insulin growth factors (IGF),
which may increase the risk of some types of cancer.
Or, fiber
may adhere to cancer-causing particles in the bloodstream and
help remove them from the body. Fiber also contains antioxidants,
compounds that mop-up free radicals which, if left unchecked,
can destroy the DNA of cells.
Soler and
colleagues acknowledge that high fiber intake may be a marker
for a healthier lifestyle that includes lower intake of meat and
foods rich in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher intake
of low-fat foods such as fruits and vegetables. And, compared
with other hospitalized patients, cancer patients tended to consume
more tobacco and alcohol, they note.
SOURCE:
International Journal of Cancer 2001;91:283-287.
Reference
Source 89
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