The Impact of Fiber Intake on Melanoma Treatment
The Impact of Fiber Intake on Melanoma Treatment
by Claire Allen, RD
New research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) indicates that a high fiber diet may enhance survival outcomes for individuals being treated for melanoma with immunotherapy. The mechanism proposed is that a high fiber diet optimally influences the gut microbes, which in turn impacts the response to immunotherapy treatment. Individuals who reported eating more high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains while on immunotherapy survived longer without cancer growth than those who had insufficient dietary fiber intake.
“More specifically, among patients with advanced melanoma who underwent immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) immunotherapy, those who consumed at least 20 g a day of dietary fiber survived the longest without their disease progressing. Every 5 g increase in daily dietary fiber intake corresponded to a 30% lower risk of disease progression. In contrast, the use of probiotic supplements appeared to lessen the effectiveness of immune checkpoint blocker regimens. Parallel preclinical studies in mouse models supported findings from the observational study in human patients.”
Thus, observational conclusions drawn from the study suggest that patients who consumed the highest levels of dietary fiber with no probiotic use survived the longest.
This research sheds light on the potential impact that diet has on the gut microbiome and how this may impact cancer treatment. If you are interested in learning more about the effect your diet may have on your gut microbiome and health, schedule a consultation with one of the dietitians on our team at 224-407-4400 or at www.compgihealth.com #gutmicrobiome #fiber #melanoma.
Source: https://www.genengnews.com/…/high-fiber-diet-may…/ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaz7015