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THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2020<\/p>\n
Certain nutrients, foods and medicines may help protect you against colon cancer<\/a>, a large research review suggests.<\/p>\n A team of international researchers led by Dr. Marc Bardou, of Dijon Bourgogne University Hospital in France, reviewed about 80 studies that examined how diet<\/a> and certain medicines affected colon cancer<\/a> risk. The studies were published between September 1980 and June 2019.<\/p>\n In terms of medicines, aspirin<\/a> (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug<\/a>, or NSAID<\/a>) appears to lower the risk by 14% to 29% at doses as low as 75 milligrams (mg)\/day and as high as 325 mg\/day.<\/p>\n The use of NSAIDs<\/a> for up to five years was associated with a 26% to 43% reduction in incidence.<\/p>\n High intake of folic acid<\/a>, a B vitamin, was associated with up to a 15% lower risk, although it wasn’t possible to determine a minimum dose, according to findings published Sept. 28 in the journal Gut<\/i>.<\/p>\n Similarly, eating dairy products appeared to lower risk by 13% to 19%, but the amount needed to protect against colon cancer<\/a> was unclear.<\/p>\n Fiber<\/a> intake was associated with a 22% to 43% lower risk, while fruit\/vegetable consumption with as much as a 52% lower risk.<\/p>\n There was no evidence that vitamins<\/a> E, C, multivitamins<\/a>, beta carotene or selenium were protective against colon cancer<\/a>, the review found.<\/p>\n Results on the impact of tea, garlic<\/a> or onions, vitamin D<\/a> either alone or combined with calcium, coffee and caffeine<\/a>, fish and omega-3<\/a> were weak or uncertain, and there were inconsistent findings on whether vitamin A<\/a> and the B vitamins<\/a> offered any protection.<\/p>\n There was conflicting data on high calcium intake and cholesterol<\/a>-lowering statin drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meat, particularly red and processed meat, was associated with a 12% to 21% increased risk of colon cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alcohol<\/a> also was linked to significantly higher risk. Even one or two drinks<\/a> a day increased colon cancer<\/a> odds, and the more people drank, the higher their risk.<\/p>\n In a journal news release, the researchers noted that the level of evidence of nutrients, foods and medicines providing protection against colon cancer<\/a> is low or very low in most cases.<\/p>\n Even so, they said their findings could help doctors advise patients on the best diet<\/a> to reduce bowel cancer<\/a> risk and also guide future research.<\/p>\n Worldwide, more than 2.2 million new cases of colon cancer and 1.1 million deaths are projected annually by 2030. In the United States, colon cancer strikes about 1 in 20 people.<\/p>\n — Robert Preidt<\/p>\n![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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