Gut Health: New Hope for Cancer Patients

Research indicates that enhancing the diets of cancer patients with healthy foods and beneficial bacteria could potentially slow tumor growth. An international trial involving prostate cancer patients demonstrated that specific vegetable-rich supplements, combined with probiotics containing Lactobacillus, appeared to reduce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood.

The four-month study, which included 212 men with low-risk prostate cancer, found that this dietary intervention not only slowed PSA progression but also improved urinary symptoms, reduced inflammation, and increased physical strength. Scientists are increasingly recognizing the crucial link between the gut microbiome and overall health, particularly its interaction with the immune system.

Published in the European Urology Oncology journal, the study noted that while the vegetable supplement alone stabilized disease in 82% of participants, the addition of a probiotic led to stable disease in 85.5%, with some even experiencing disease regression. This offers promising insights into how targeted dietary strategies can positively influence cancer markers and patient well-being.