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Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes
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Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 4313

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Caixia Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Interests: chronic diseases epidemiology; nutritional factors and incidence and prognosis of breast and colorectal cancer; cancer epidemiology; maternal and child nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled “Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes”, will examine how overall eating habits and food choices influence the likelihood of developing cancer. While past research often focused on individual nutrients, recent studies have emphasized the importance of examining broader dietary patterns to more accurately reflect how people eat in everyday life. Investigating the connection between dietary patterns and cancer is crucial in understanding how combinations of foods can influence cancer risk and progression. As opposed to analyzing single nutrients, assessing dietary patterns can provide a comprehensive view of how different foods work together to either lower or increase cancer risk. For example, the Mediterranean diet, which includes a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, has been linked to reduced risk for various cancers.

On the other hand, the Western diet, high in red and processed meats, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats, is associated with higher risk, particularly for colorectal cancer. Focusing on entire dietary patterns rather than isolated nutrients allows us to gain practical insights to inform cancer prevention and public health strategies. This approach highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced diet to reduce cancer risk.

Prof. Dr. Caixia Zhang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • dietary patterns
  • cancer risk
  • nutrition and cancer
  • diet and cancer prevention
  • oxidative balance score and cancer
  • dietary inflammatory index and cancer
  • plant-based diet and cancer
  • Western diet and cancer
  • Mediterranean diet and cancer

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2352 KiB  
Article
Lower Adherence to Lifestyle Recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (2018) Is Associated with Decreased Overall 10-Year Survival in Women with Breast Cancer
by Jaqueline Schroeder de Souza, Luiza Kuhnen Reitz, Cândice Laís Knöner Copetti, Yara Maria Franco Moreno, Francilene Gracieli Kunradi Vieira and Patricia Faria Di Pietro
Nutrients 2025, 17(6), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17061001 - 12 Mar 2025
Viewed by 719
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The 2018 lifestyle recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) have been associated with lower incidence of breast cancer, but their impact on mortality, survival, and recurrence of the disease is not known. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The 2018 lifestyle recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) have been associated with lower incidence of breast cancer, but their impact on mortality, survival, and recurrence of the disease is not known. This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to WCRF/AICR recommendations on mortality, overall 10-year survival, and recurrence in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: This prospective study included 101 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2006 and 2011. Food consumption, body weight, and physical activity data were collected at diagnosis to calculate the WCRF/AICR score. Mortality, survival, and recurrence data were collected in 2020–2021. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to verify the association between WCRF/AICR score and its components with outcomes. Results: Women with lower adherence to the WCRF/AICR score (1st tertile, which was the reference group for regression models) had lower chance of 10-year overall survival when compared to patients with higher scores (2nd and 3rd tertiles, n = 67) (p = 0.025). Consumption of sugary drinks increased the chance of all-cause mortality (p = 0.005) and daily fiber intake increased the chance of overall 10-year survival (p = 0.027). Conclusions: It is suggested that adherence to WCRF/AICR recommendations before breast cancer treatment may contribute to better life expectancy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes)
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17 pages, 1385 KiB  
Article
Oxidative Balance Score Calculated Using Different Methods and Its Associations with Colorectal Cancer Risk
by Fangting Lin, Ruolin Zhou, Qingjian Ou, Kexin Tu, Yujing Fang and Caixia Zhang
Nutrients 2025, 17(4), 679; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17040679 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 804
Abstract
Background: The oxidative balance score (OBS) measures oxidative stress from diet and lifestyle, but research linking it to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is scarce and varies in calculation methods. Methods: We conducted a case-control study in Guangzhou, China, involving 2799 CRC cases and [...] Read more.
Background: The oxidative balance score (OBS) measures oxidative stress from diet and lifestyle, but research linking it to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is scarce and varies in calculation methods. Methods: We conducted a case-control study in Guangzhou, China, involving 2799 CRC cases and an equal number of sex- and age-matched controls. We adopted and compared four different methods for calculating the OBSs. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for the relationship between OBS and CRC risk were determined using an unconditional logistic regression model. Restricted cubic splines were used to explore potential non-linear relationships. Additionally, stratified analyses were performed by sex, and subgroup analyses were performed based on the tumor site. Results: Among the four OBSs assessed, OBS-1 demonstrated superior performance. Higher adherence to four OBSs was associated with a lower risk of CRC. The adjusted ORs (95%CIs) for the highest quartile compared to the lowest quartile were as follows: 0.42 (0.35, 0.50) for OBS-1, 0.43 (0.36, 0.51) for OBS-2, 0.50 (0.42, 0.59) for OBS-3, and 0.43 (0.36, 0.51) for OBS-4. Linear relationships were observed between four OBSs and CRC risk (all p-Nonlinear > 0.05). Stratified analysis by sex revealed that all four OBSs were negatively associated with CRC risk in both male and female patients. Subgroup analysis by cancer site indicated that four OBSs were negatively associated with the risk of both colon and rectal cancer. Conclusions: All four OBSs were negatively associated with CRC risk, with OBS-1 showing the strongest association in our analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes)
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14 pages, 2250 KiB  
Article
Possible Prognostic Role of BMI Before Chemotherapy in the Outcomes of Women with Ovarian Cancer
by Stavroula A. Paschou, Angeliki Andrikopoulou, Nikoletta Mili, Anna Svarna, Maria Kaparelou, Katerina Stefanaki, Nikolaos Dedes, Efstathia Liatsou, Nikolaos Thomakos, Dimitrios Haidopoulos, Theodora Psaltopoulou, Efstathios Kastritis, Flora Zagouri, Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos and Michalis Liontos
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030556 - 31 Jan 2025
Viewed by 917
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Survival rates for ovarian cancer remain distressingly low. Despite established prognostic factors, the need to identify modifiable parameters to influence survival outcomes is imperative. Overweight and obesity, both prevalent conditions, have been implicated in cancer development and potentially poor survival. However, conflicting [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Survival rates for ovarian cancer remain distressingly low. Despite established prognostic factors, the need to identify modifiable parameters to influence survival outcomes is imperative. Overweight and obesity, both prevalent conditions, have been implicated in cancer development and potentially poor survival. However, conflicting data on the associations of body mass index (BMI) with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in ovarian cancer patients necessitate further exploration. This study aims to investigate the prognostic role of BMI before chemotherapy in women with ovarian cancer, specifically focusing on PFS and OS. Methods: A retrospective analysis encompassed 1,136 patients diagnosed with ovarian carcinomas between 1995 and 2018. Patients were categorized based on BMI at presentation, and a comprehensive examination of clinicopathological, treatment, and survival data was conducted. Results: In the patient population, normal weight patients (BMI < 25 kg/m2) demonstrated a median PFS of 12.8 months (95% CI 11.7–13.9 months), while overweight/obese patients (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) exhibited a significantly longer median PFS of 14.9 months (95% CI 13.6–16.4 months, P = 0.006). No statistically significant difference was noted in median OS between the two BMI groups. Subgroup analysis for different histological subtypes revealed a statistically significant benefit for overweight and obese patients with serous and endometrioid histology (mPFS 12.9 months, 95% CI 11.7–14.0 vs. 15.6 months, 95% CI 13.9–17.3, P = 0.012 and 14.6 months 95% CI 13.7–15.5 vs. 25.6 months, 95% CI 9.5–41.7, P = 0.031, respectively). Additionally, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 demonstrated a significant advantage in advanced-stage disease. Conclusions: The study underscores the intricate association between BMI and ovarian cancer prognosis. While a statistically significant difference in progression-free survival was noted between normal weight and overweight/obese patients, with the latter group experiencing a survival benefit, no such difference was observed in overall survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes)
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15 pages, 2051 KiB  
Article
The Impact of the Dietary Inflammatory Index, Fasting Blood Glucose, and Smoking Status on the Incidence and Survival of Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Case–Control Study and a Prospective Study
by Ga Hyun Lee, Yeon Hee Kim, Sang Myung Woo, Woo Jin Lee, Sung-Sik Han, Sang-Jae Park, Sherry Price, Penias Tembo, James R. Hébert and Mi Kyung Kim
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3941; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223941 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1456
Abstract
Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC), a highly malignant cancer with a poor diagnosis, may be influenced by diet-related inflammation. This study examined the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and the incidence and prognosis of PC in Korea. Methods: A total of 55 [...] Read more.
Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC), a highly malignant cancer with a poor diagnosis, may be influenced by diet-related inflammation. This study examined the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and the incidence and prognosis of PC in Korea. Methods: A total of 55 patients with PC were matched with 280 healthy controls (HCs) by age and sex. We also analyzed the combined effects of DII scores and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels or smoking status on the risk of PC and performed a survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards method. Results: The DII scores were higher in the patients with PC than those in HCs (odds ratio [OR] = 3.36, confidence interval [CI] = 1.16–9.73, p = 0.03), and the effect was larger in women (OR = 6.13, CI = 1.11–33.82, p = 0.04). A high DII score was jointly associated with FBG ≥ 126 mg/dL in raising PC risk [OR = 32.5, relative excess risk due to interaction/synergy (RERI/S) index = 24.2/4.34, p-interaction = 0.04], indicating a multiplicative interaction. A high DII score combined with ex/current smoker status increased PC risk through an additive interaction (RERI/S = 1.01/1.54, p-interaction = 0.76). However, DII scores did not influence disease-free survival. Conclusions: The consumption of an anti-inflammatory diet, coupled with maintaining normal FBG levels and abstaining from smoking, may help reduce the risk of PC by mitigating pancreatic inflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Patterns and Cancer: Risks and Survival Outcomes)
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