A Bacterial Link - Cancer Today

Healthy Habits

A Bacterial Link

The microbes living in your gut may explain how diet influences colorectal cancer risk.
By Lori Miller Kase

A growing body of research indicates that a healthy diet—rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fiber—may help reduce the risk of developing certain types of colorectal cancer. A study published in the July 2017 issue of JAMA Oncology suggests that diet may influence colorectal cancer risk by affecting the bacteria in the gut.

The study tracked the diets of more than 137,000 people enrolled in the ongoing Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. During 2​6 to 32 years of follow-up, 3,260 people developed colorectal cancer. Researchers were able to analyze the microbial content of the tumors of 1,019 of these participants.

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