Posted on 06/21/2025 8:51:54 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Patients with colon cancer who consumed an anti-inflammatory diet during a Phase III clinical trial showed longer overall survival post-treatment compared to those on a proinflammatory diet, according to analysis. Engaging in higher levels of physical activity may amplify the positive influence on survival.
The median 5-year survival for patients with stage III colon cancer is around 80%.
The CALGB/SWOG 80702 (Alliance) trial was initiated in 2010 to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. Patients in the trial were treated with surgery followed by either three or six months of chemotherapy, with or without celecoxib, an anti-inflammatory drug.
Of 2,526 patients enrolled in the trial, 1,625 were eligible for this study after completing food frequency and physical activity questionnaires.
A proinflammatory diet includes higher amounts of red meat, processed meats, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages, while an anti-inflammatory diet frequently includes coffee, tea, and a variety of vegetables, including leafy greens.
The investigators ranked diets from the most proinflammatory to the least and assessed overall survival outcomes after following patients for many years. They found that patients consuming the most proinflammatory diets (in the top 20%) had an 87% higher risk of death than those consuming the least proinflammatory diets (in the bottom 20%).
This clinical trial also collected information about physical activity, assessing the average weekly intensity of activity. Patients considered to have a high level of physical activity reported the equivalent of regularly walking at a 2–3 mile per hour pace for one hour approximately three times a week or more.
In the study, patients who consumed more anti-inflammatory diets and engaged in higher levels of physical activity had the best overall survival outcomes, with a 63% lower risk of death compared to patients who consumed the most proinflammatory diets and engaged in lower levels of physical activity.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
My youngest son, age 48 in 2019 was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer. They did laparoscopic surgery, took 99% of his colon (no colostomy). Also took over 70 lymph nodes out. He underwent 6 months of chemo treatments with two different chemo meds, and thankfully has been cancer free since. He lost no weight, lost no hair, and ate what he wanted. Gained weight actually.
Thank you for sharing what a wonderful outcome.
Thanks...it is a blessing.
Wonderful to hear such a positive outcome. Thanks for a great story. Cheering him on and so sorry he had to go through it.
My husband had colon cancer several decades ago and did no chemo after surgery and didn’t modify diet afterwards. No recurrence and we’re continually grateful to his surgeon.
The study I have yet to see is incidence of cancer post colonoscopy. There are some studies that were horrified to find advanced colon cancer within 6 months of a colonoscopy, but I’ve not seen any statistics.
My son ended up with a blood clot in his lungs due to the chemo, so he had to give himself injections of Heparin for the remainder of his treatments. He also had bad neuropathy in this hands and feet from it too. It went away in his hands, but he still has it bad in his feet.
In November of last year, he had abdominal surgery for an internal hernia and blockage. He's also recently been diagnosed with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (left ventricle problem). He had a-fib in the hospital in November, so they sent him to a Cardiologist in Rochester, NY, a couple of hours from here. They put him on Camzyos, and he has to have an Echo every four weeks so they can track the medication's effectiveness. We went for his initial Echo on the 28th of May. On the 30th, he had a video consult with the Cardiologist who said everything looked good. That Tuesday, June 2nd, I had to take him to the ER here as he was having a-fib again...which can be a side effect of the medication. They gave him medication via IV to try to bring his heart rate down, but ended up shocking his heart that Friday, and he came home that Saturday. They put him on another IV medication for several hours before he had the treatment, and he's on a pill form of that med for now. He was in touch with the Rochester Cardiologist all the time he was hospitalized. We have to go back to Rochester the end of next week again.
I didn’t even know blood clots were a danger from chemo. It sounds like you’ve got to be continually alert to stop problems early and that you’re all staying on top of things. I’m so sorry you all have to deal with all this. I hope the meds get balanced out and deal with the interacting problems. Very glad he has a family that watches out for him. That makes him a lucky one.
Thanks for you kind words mairdie. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
Bkmk
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