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Consumption of Dairy Products Increases Ovarian Cancer Risk
 A meta-analysis of 21 studies that examined a relationship between
dairy product consumption and ovarian cancer risk found that every
10 grams of lactose consumed (the amount in one glass of milk)
on a daily basis increased ovarian cancer risk by 13 percent. The
study found a stronger link in cohort studies than in case-control
studies. (Cohort studies follow a group of people over time and
are considered more reliable than case-control studies, which compare
patients and healthy control subjects at a single point in time.)
Skim, low-fat, and whole milk, yogurt, cheese, and total lactose
(dairy sugar) consumption was analyzed in these studies. Previous
studies have suggested that galactose, a byproduct of lactose digestion,
may have a toxic effect on a woman’s ovaries.
Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A. Milk, milk products, and lactose
intake and ovarian cancer risk: a meta-analysis of epidemiological
studies. Int J Cancer. Available at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/110575092/ABSTRACT. Accessed
September 23, 2005.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Only a Temporary Fix
Hormone “replacement” increases cancer risk, but is
sometimes prescribed to treat hot flashes. However, these symptoms
are likely to return as soon as the treatment is stopped, according
to a new report from the Women’s Health Initiative. In May
2002, investigators stopped prescribing the hormones when serious
risks of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia
were found. The 8,405 women who discontinued estrogens and progesterone
were then surveyed. More than half of the women who had had hot
flashes prior to beginning hormone therapy suffered recurrences
when the treatment was ended. Women who had not had hot flashes
prior to starting the hormones tended to remain symptom-free after
discontinuing them. The study suggests that hormones are not a
long-term solution to hot flashes and supports the use of non-hormonal
strategies for dealing with menopausal symptoms.
Ockene JK, Barad DH, Cochrane BB, et al. Symptom experience after
discontinuing use of estrogen plus progestin. JAMA. 2005;294:183-93.
Vegan Diet and Lifestyle Changes Slow Prostate Cancer
A new study by Dr. Dean Ornish shows the power of diet and lifestyle
changes to improve cancer survival. In a group of men with prostate
cancer, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels—a marker that
tracks prostate cancer growth—decreased by 4 percent after
one year on a low-fat vegan diet, complemented by moderate aerobic
exercise and stress management. (The diet was supplemented with
soy, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin C.)
It is unusual for PSA levels to decrease without treatment. A control
group saw its PSA levels rise by 6 percent. In addition, six of
the men in the control group needed treatment during the one-year
study period because their prostate cancer was progressing, but
no one in the experimental group needed treatment. Previous studies
have shown that the consumption of dietary fat and dairy products
increases prostate cancer risk while compounds in tomatoes, soy,
and cruciferous vegetables protect against the disease.
Ornish D, Weidner G, Fair WR, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes
may affect the progression of prostate cancer. J Urol. 2005;174:1065-70.
The Cancer Project is a nonprofit PCRM affiliate organization
that advances cancer prevention and survival through nutrition
education and research. Begun as a PCRM program in 1991, The Cancer
Project became an incorporated affiliate in 2004.
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