NUTRITION AND

CANCER
Prepared by Dr. Samar El- Nakhal
 Environmental causes of cancer
2

Environment contributes to about 80% in the

development of cancer.
The most important environmental factors are:
 Diet
 Smoking
 Physical activity

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 WHO Recommendations for
3
Preventing Cancer
 Maintain healthy normal body weight (BMI:
18.5-24.9).
 Maintain regular physical activity, at least 60

minutes per day of moderate–intensity activity

on most days of the week.
 Overall consumption of salt and salt-preserve

foods should be moderate.

 Minimize exposure to aflatoxin in food.

 Avoid alcohol consumption.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal
 WHO Recommendations for
4
Preventing Cancer
 Increase the intake of wide variety of fruits
and vegetables.
 Consume adequate amount of NSP, at least 20
g daily.
 Consume red meat in moderation and limit

processed meat.
 Do not consume foods or drinks when they are

very hot.
 Decrease the consumption of fats, mainly long
.
chain saturated fats and avoid trans fats.
 .

.
 Cancer and Inflammation
6

 Cancer and inflammation are closely

associated.
 While cancer can result in a chronic
inflammation, inflammation can also lead to
cancer.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Cancer and Inflammation
7

 Inflammation is now accepted as an integral

component in the etiology of obesity, type 2
diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, heart
disease, and common forms of cancer.
 A sedentary lifestyle, especially when its
effects are amplified by unhealthy diet,
appears to lead to the accumulation of visceral
fat, which is a source of systemic and chronic
inflammation.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Fruits and vegetables
8

They are very healthy as they provide:

 Antioxidants:

Carotenoids, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. They

prevent the oxidative damage to the DNA by
free radicals.
 NSP.

 Phytochemicls.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 .

.
 Antioxidants
10

 Food antioxidants aims to protect cells against

free radicals, which are produced either from
normal cell metabolisms or from external
sources (pollution, cigarette smoke, radiation,
medication).

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Antioxidants
11

 The accumulation of free radicals in the body

generates a phenomenon called oxidative
stress, that plays a major role in the
development of chronic and degenerative
illness such as cancer, CVD, autoimmune
disorders and aging.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Antioxidants in foods
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 Vitamin C
 Vitamin E

 Beta-carotene

 Selenium

 Copper

 Phytochemicals

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Multivitamins supplementation
13

 Multivitamins supplementation doesn’t

equal fruits and vegetables intake.

 Research support the benefit of carotenoid -

rich diets, but not beta-carotene
supplementation, as beta-carotene
supplementation actually increased the risk of
lung cancer among smokers.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Phytochemicls
14

 Phyto-oestrogens:
In soya beans, lentils, sweet potatoes and
flaxseed, possibly protective against breast
and prostate cancer.
 Carotenoids (lycopene):

In tomato and tomato products, possibly

protective against prostate cancer.
 Glucosinolates:

In cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and turnip,

.
possibly prevent cancer development.
 Butyric acid
15

 Butyric acid is short chain saturated F.A

which inhibits colonic tumor cells, and
promotes healthy colonic epithelial cells; but
the mechanism is not well understood.

 Milk fats represent the main dietary source of

Butyric acid. In addition, it can be
synthesized by fermentation of NSP by
normal flora in the intestine.
Dr. Samar El-Nakhal
 Red meat and salt
16

 Avoid processed meats.

 Limit the intake of red meat to less than 80

grams daily (500 g weekly). Choose fish or

poultry in place of red meat.
 The decline in both stroke and gastric cancer

mortality over the last 20 years can be

explained by decreases in salt intake due to
advances in food preservation.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Cancer cells and energy
17

 Overconsumption of foods, specially foods

rich in sugars, leads to obesity and overweight.
 Overconsumption of foods leads to
overproduction of free radicals that are
created as a consequence of ATP formation by
the mitochondria during energy production.
 All cells, including cancer cells, use sugar

(glucose) for energy production.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Obesity and cancer development
18

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Cancer cells and energy
19

 When glucose is scarce, the body uses an

alternative form of energy for cells. The liver
then produces ketone bodies and fatty acids,
which provide energy for normal cells but do
not benefit cancer cells.
 Cancer cells have dysfunctional mitochondria

with disrupted adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

production from the mitochondria. So, cancer
cells become heavily dependent on ATP coming
from the less efficient process of glycolysis.
Dr. Samar El-Nakhal
 Cancer cells and energy
20

 Cancer cells with impaired mitochondrial

function are unable to efficiently metabolize
ketone bodies for energy, as ketone bodies are
metabolized exclusively within the mitochondria.
 Ketone bodies possess many characteristics that

can impair cancer cell survival and proliferation.

 Ketone bodies inhibit glycolysis, thus decreasing

the main pathway of energy production for cancer

cells.

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

 Healthy Diet
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Variety

Balance Moderation

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal

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Thank you

Dr. Samar El-Nakhal