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By Sean Duke
Science Editor
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The natural healing processes in our body are being damaged when we eat ultra-processed foods and unhealthy oils, and this weakening of our defenses allows tumors to fester and grow into life-threatening colon cancer.
Researchers at University of Southern Florida (USF) Health and the Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute have been investigating a potential link between our Western diet, which is dominated by ultra-processed foods and unhealthy oils, and the chronic inflammation that feeds and drives tumor growth.
Inflammation is the body's natural response to injuries, invaders or infections. Chronic inflammation occurs when this response lingers for longer than is useful, and instead of helping us causes a negative impact on our tissues or organs.
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"It is well known that patients with unhealthy diets have increased inflammation in their bodies," said Dr. Timothy Yeatman, professor of surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and associate center director for Translational Research and Innovation at the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute.
"We now see this inflammation in the colon tumors themselves, and cancer is like a chronic wound that won't heal—if your body is living off of daily ultra-processed foods, its ability to heal that wound decreases due to the inflammation and suppression of the immune system that ultimately allows the cancer to grow," said Yeatman.
Colorectal Cancer Triggered by Poor Diet
Chronic inflammation, which scientists believe can be fueled by poor dietary choices, has now likely been found to play a vital role in the growth and progression of colorectal cancer.
"Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume," said Ganesh Halade, associate professor in the USF Health Heart Institute in the Morsani College of Medicine and a member of the Cancer Biology Program at TGH Cancer Institute.
"Bioactive lipids are very small molecules derived from the foods that we eat and, if the molecules are coming from processed food products, they directly imbalance the immune system and drive chronic inflammation."
Halade used a highly sensitive technique to detect tiny amounts of lipids —or fats—in 162 tumor samples from patients at TGH. The tumors were frozen within 30 minutes of their removal and transported to his lab.
Inside the tumors, the team observed an excess number of molecules that promote inflammation and a shortage of those that help resolve it and promote healing.
What Should be Done about UPFs in Our Diet?
Professor Francis Finucane, Consultant Endocrinologist at Galway University Hospitals, leads a specialist hospital-based service for patients with severe and complicated obesity in Ireland.
He has extensive clinical research experience in exploring the molecular and physiological mechanisms that give rise to complications of obesity, and how these change with dietary and physical activity interventions.
Finucane was asked by Newsweek to comment on a recent study involving Yeatman and Halade that found a potential link between inflammatory foods in the diet and the growth of tumors in the gut.
"They have shown convincingly that arachidonic acid (a polyunsaturated fatty acid) and its derivates are implicated in the development of colorectal cancer in humans," Finucane told Newsweek. "That has thought-provoking implications for future research and for policies around unhealthy and ultra-processed food.
"We know beyond doubt that ultra-processed food consumption is a risk factor for all of the major chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
"We need to educate the public about the harms associated with UPFs. We need clear front of pack nutrition labels to help consumers to make more informed choices. We should limit the marketing and advertising of UPFs, especially to children and their parents.
"We should expand 'sugar taxes' to include foods that are ultra-processed and then ring fence that money for prevention and treatment initiatives."
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