The findings highlight a potential link between fiber, gut health, and immune response, implying that diet may play an important role in improving cancer treatment outcomes.
How does fiber change how well cancer treatment works?
For cancer patients getting immunotherapy, a diet high in fiber could make a big difference. A new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that patients with melanoma responded better to treatment when their diet was high in fiber, as per a report by the Express.
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The DIET trial looked at patients who were getting immunotherapy, which is a treatment that helps the body fight cancer by boosting its natural defenses. Researchers found that people who ate more fiber had better results from their treatment and fewer side effects. The main connection? The gut microbiome.
Dr. John Ma, the study’s lead investigator and an oncologist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, said, “We’re learning that gut bacteria play an important role in how the immune system works and how it responds to treatment.”
What did the DIET trial show?
The second phase of the trial had two groups of people with melanoma. One group ate a lot of fiber, getting between 30 and 50 grams of it every day. The other group ate a more typical Western diet, getting about 20 grams of fiber every day.
Patients who followed the high-fiber plan not only handled it well, but they also responded better to immunotherapy. Also, they said they had fewer skin problems like rashes and itching, which are common complaints among people getting cancer treatment.
Dr. Ma said that the results were good, even though they were still early. He said, “What was especially encouraging was that something as simple and easy to get as diet might help treatment outcomes.” “That’s something patients can do for themselves.”
Could cancer care soon include nutrition?
This study isn’t just about fiber; it’s part of a bigger trend toward looking at things like diet that patients can change in order to treat cancer. Ma says that more and more researchers think that everyday choices could one day be included in standard cancer care.
Ma said, “There aren’t many studies that show that supplements or changes in lifestyle really change outcomes.” “But the DIET study shows us what might be possible.”
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He stressed that more research is needed to prove the link between dietary fiber and treatment effectiveness, but a larger phase 3 trial might be coming up soon. If this is true, fiber could be a powerful weapon against cancer that is cheap, easy to get, and based on something as simple as what you eat.
A hopeful way to go forward
Studies like this one give us new hope as treatments for melanoma continue to improve. Ma said, “It’s a time like no other.” “We’re seeing people live longer than ever before, and that gives us real hope.”
Patients should talk to their care teams before making any big changes to their diets for now, but the message is clear: food may one day be part of the medicine.
FAQs
Can fiber actually improve cancer treatment outcomes?
Yes, the study found that melanoma patients on a high-fiber diet responded better to immunotherapy.
How much fiber did patients consume during the study?
Participants in the high-fiber group consumed 30 to 50 grams of fiber per day.