January 17, 1996
Web posted at: 6:30 p.m. EST
From Reporter Eugenia Halsey
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Last year, 50,000 Americans died from colon cancer. Now there is strong new evidence to support claims that a diet high in fiber and calcium can help prevent the disease.
A study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that men and women who were given high doses of wheat bran cereal or calcium supplements had lower concentrations of bile acids linked to colon cancer. The results provide more evidence that what people eat can contribute to the risk of getting cancer, said the institute's Dr. Peter Greenwald. (102K AIFF sound or 102K WAV sound)
Physicians have long suspected fiber and calcium helped prevent colon cancer. Patients like Sandra Peterson of Virginia, who are at high risk for colon cancer -- her mother died from it at age 53 and doctors found pre-cancerous growths in Peterson's colon eight years ago -- are often placed on special diets. Peterson's doctor, Alan Ansher, put her on a low-fat diet that emphasizes whole grain cereals, breads, fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
Both think it has helped keep the disease at bay; no polyps have been discovered since she started her diet. (94K AIFF sound or 94K WAV sound)
But the new study gives them a better understanding of why that might be. "One of the theories would be that either calcium or fiber bind the bile salts and prevent them from coming into contact with the colon," Ansher said.
The author of the study, Dr. David Alberts, said eating a bowl of wheat bran cereal is a good way to start the day. Not only does that reduce the cancer-causing chemicals in the colon, he said, "it also allows people to be regular and have regular stools."
The National Cancer Institute recommends not only that people get plenty of fiber and calcium, but also that they continue to follow a low-fat diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
| 
|
Copyright © 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
