Some foods may cause colon cancer.. Study reveals that

Diet is linked to the health of our bodies, and some foods may cause the risk of colon cancer, which has spread widely.

Ultra-processed foods may increase the risk of colon cancer by fueling inflammation in the body, a new study by researchers at the University of South Florida in the United States has found. The scientists believe the findings could “revolutionize cancer treatment.”

Scientists discovered a possible link between inflammatory foods in the diet and the growth of tumors in the intestines, by analyzing tumors in people with cancer. The results of the study were published in the British Medical Journal on December 10.

"Patients who follow unhealthy diets are known to have increased inflammation in their bodies," said study co-author Dr. Timothy Yeatman, professor of surgery at the University of South Florida and associate director of the Center for Translational Research and Innovation at the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute in the United States, according to Newsweek.

“We now see this inflammation in colon tumors themselves, and cancer is like a chronic wound that won’t heal,” he continued. “If your body lives on highly processed foods every day, its ability to deal with that wound is reduced by inflammation and suppression of the immune system, which ultimately allows cancer to grow.”

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer — cancer that affects the colon, rectum or both — is the fourth most common cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

The disease is particularly on the rise among young people, having nearly doubled since the early 1990s. A study by the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital found that diet-induced inflammation may be a major culprit.

Scientists at Tampa General Hospital removed, froze and analyzed 162 tumor samples from colorectal cancer patients, looking for signs of inflammation.

Inflammation is a critical function of the immune system, but in some people — such as those who eat diets that cause inflammation — the inflammation may never subside.

“Ultra-processed foods often use low-cost, inflammatory seed oils (soybean, sunflower, canola, etc.) along with high sugar and salt, all of which lead to an inflammatory response,” says Yeatman. “These foods are also common in fast-food restaurants.”

What are ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods are defined as foods that have been produced industrially, using manufacturing methods and chemical additive ingredients that are not available to a home cook.

The scientists concluded that their study could pave the way for a future fight against cancer, which includes replacing inflammatory foods with anti-inflammatory foods in the diet.

Source: Newsweek