Lifestyle factors linked to less aggressive prostate cancer

(HealthDay)—Adherence to lifestyle recommendations intended to reduce the risk of cancer generally is associated with a lower risk of highly aggressive prostate cancer in men newly diagnosed with the disease, according to a study published online July 16 in Nutrition and Cancer.

Lenore Arab, Ph.D., from the University of California in Los Angeles, and colleagues examined the association between adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund 2007 lifestyle recommendations and the risk of highly aggressive prostate cancer among 2,212 African-Americans and Caucasian-Americans who were 40 to 70 years old and newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. The recommendations to potentially reduce cancer risk were based on meta-analyses of over 500 studies and included maintaining an optimal weight and daily vigorous physical activity and the consumption or some foods but not others.

The researchers found a significant association between adherence to the recommendations (based on point scores) and the risk of highly aggressive prostate cancer, with a 13 percent reduction in risk with each additional point in the total adherence score. A total adherence score less than 4 was associated with a higher risk in both African-Americans (odds ratio, 1.36) and Caucasian-Americans (odds ratio, 1.41). In particular, significant protection was found by consuming less than 500 grams of red meat per week and 125 or less total kilocalories per 100 grams of solid food per day.

"These findings suggest that recommendations aimed at preventing all cancers may also be important for preventing highly aggressive prostate cancer," Arab and colleagues conclude.

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