Colorectal Cancer Connected to Ultra-processed Foods

You’ve likely seen the influencers on TikTok and Instagram touting the toxicity of seed oils. What they don’t recognize is the complexity of these plant-based oils. Seed oils include canola oil (aka rapeseed oil), corn oil, cottonseed, grapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, rice bran oil, and peanut oil.

The majority of these oils are healthy on their own but are often used in ultra-processed and packaged foods. The consumption of ultra-processed foods is the problem, not the oils themselves. Seed oils may actually show improvements in conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. 1, 2

Research from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute have discovered a potential link between the Western diet (high in ultra-processed food and oils) and chronic inflammation, which may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. This type of cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the US. 3

Through a five-year, $3.1 million grant from the NIH, researchers have made big strides in understanding colorectal cancer. An initial study evaluated how processed foods may hasten the body’s natural healing process. The results of the study were published online in Gut, a major international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

"It is well known that patients with unhealthy diets have increased inflammation in their bodies," said Dr. Timothy Yeatman, a renowned physician-scientist and professor of surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and associate center director for Translational Research and Innovation at the TGH 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."

A Western diet is often accompanied by excessive intake of added sugars, saturated fat, ultra-processed foods, artificial chemicals, and inflammatory seed oils, according to Yeatman. Past studies by the USF Health Heart Institute have linked an imbalanced diet with Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions in addition to colorectal cancer.

Ganesh Halade, associate professor at the USF Health Heart Institute and a member of the Cancer Biology Program at TGH Cancer Institute states, "Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume. 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."

At the Tampa General Hospital, Halade used a sensitive analytical method to find trace amounts of lipids in 162 tumor samples from subjects. Within 30 minutes of removal, the tumors were frozen and moved to his lab via USF and TGH Cancer Institute's Biobank, in collaboration with USF Health Colorectal Surgery and the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program at TGH Cancer Institute.

The team noted an excess number of molecules that foster inflammation and a shortage of those that help reduce it and promote healing inside the tumors. These findings offer a new, natural approach -- resolution medicine -- which promotes restoring balance in the patient's diet to treat colorectal cancer more effectively.

"A human's immune system can be extremely powerful and drastically impact the tumor microenvironment, which is great if harnessed correctly for health and wellness," Yeatman said. "But not if it's suppressed by inflammatory lipids from processed foods."

Reversing inflammation through the consumption of unprocessed, healthy foods containing anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish oil along with regular sleep and exercise may help restore the body’s natural healing ability. This is the focus of resolution medicine.

Yeatman notes, "This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes. It's a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start."

Trials are underway at TGH Cancer Institute using specialized derivatives of fish oil and have shown promise in addressing the root cause of inflammation. The team will keep studying resolution medicine and its effect on patient treatment and disease prevention.

Healthy unprocessed foods include: crab, salmon, halibut, spinach, brussels sprouts, seaweed, algae and grass-fed, pasture-raised meats, etc.

Ultra-processed foods include: ice cream, sausages, chips, mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, doughnuts, carbonated drinks, instant soups, some alcoholic drinks, etc. 1

More ways to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer include:

·         Keep up with regular colonoscopy screenings starting at age 45. The frequency of tests needed will vary depending on your risk factors and results of the initial screening. 4

·         Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight and obese raises the risk of colorectal cancer. 5

·         Reduce intake of red meat and especially processed red meat such as hot dogs, sausage, and luncheon meats like bologna, pepperoni, and salami. 6

·         Consume a high-fiber diet including beans, whole grains, whole fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

·         Add fatty fish to your diet twice per week such as salmon or halibut.

·         Avoid fast food which contains more ultra-processed oils.

·         Stay physically active. Being inactive is a risk for polyps and colorectal cancer. 7

·         Reduce intake of alcohol which raises the risk of several types of cancer. 8

·         Include more cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens in your diet regularly such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and spinach. 9

·         Obtain adequate calcium in your diet through low-fat milk, yogurt, or other calcium-containing foods. Calcium protects against colon cancer. 10

Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD

References:

1. Tian M, Bai Y, Tian H, Zhao X. The Chemical Composition and Health-Promoting Benefits of Vegetable Oils-A Review. Molecules. 2023 Sep 1;28(17):6393. doi: 10.3390/molecules28176393. PMID: 37687222; PMCID: PMC10489903.

2. Ghobadi S, Hassanzadeh-Rostami Z, Mohammadian F, Zare M, Faghih S. Effects of Canola Oil Consumption on Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials. J Am Coll Nutr. 2019 Feb;38(2):185-196. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2018.1475270. Epub 2018 Oct 31. PMID: 30381009.

3. Ramani Soundararajan, Michelle M Maurin, Jetsen Rodriguez-Silva, Gunjan Upadhyay, Ashley J Alden, Siddabasave Gowda B Gowda, Michael J Schell, Mingli Yang, Noah Jhad Levine, Divyavani Gowda, Punith M Sundaraswamy, Shu-Ping Hui, Lance Pflieger, Heiman Wang, Jorge Marcet, Carolina Martinez, Robert David Bennett, Allen Chudzinski, Andreas Karachristos, Timothy M Nywening, Paul M Cavallaro, Matthew Linley Anderson, Robert J Coffey, Michael V Nebozhyn, Andrey Loboda, Domenico Coppola, Warren Jackson Pledger, Ganesh Halade, Timothy J Yeatman. Integration of lipidomics with targeted, single cell, and spatial transcriptomics defines an unresolved pro-inflammatory state in colon cancer. Gut, 2024; gutjnl-2024-332535 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2024-332535

4. Colorectal Cancer Guideline | How Often to Have Screening Tests | American Cancer Society

5. Mandic M, Safizadeh F, Niedermaier T, Hoffmeister M, Brenner H. Association of Overweight, Obesity, and Recent Weight Loss With Colorectal Cancer Risk. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Apr 3;6(4):e239556. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9556. PMID: 37083659; PMCID: PMC10122181.

6. Vernia F, Longo S, Stefanelli G, Viscido A, Latella G. Dietary Factors Modulating Colorectal Carcinogenesis. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 3;13(1):143. doi: 10.3390/nu13010143. PMID: 33401525; PMCID: PMC7824178.

7. Sninsky JA, Shore BM, Lupu GV, Crockett SD. Risk Factors for Colorectal Polyps and Cancer. Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am. 2022 Apr;32(2):195-213. doi: 10.1016/j.giec.2021.12.008. Epub 2022 Feb 22. PMID: 35361331.

8. O'Sullivan DE, Sutherland RL, Town S, Chow K, Fan J, Forbes N, Heitman SJ, Hilsden RJ, Brenner DR. Risk Factors for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Jun;20(6):1229-1240.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2021.01.037. Epub 2021 Jan 29. PMID: 33524598.

9. Frugé AD, Smith KS, Riviere AJ, Tenpenny-Chigas R, Demark-Wahnefried W, Arthur AE, Murrah WM, van der Pol WJ, Jasper SL, Morrow CD, Arnold RD, Braxton-Lloyd K. A Dietary Intervention High in Green Leafy Vegetables Reduces Oxidative DNA Damage in Adults at Increased Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Biological Outcomes of the Randomized Controlled Meat and Three Greens (M3G) Feasibility Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 7;13(4):1220. doi: 10.3390/nu13041220. PMID: 33917165; PMCID: PMC8067874.

10. Wi YJ, Na SY. [Calcium, Vitamin D, and Colorectal Cancer]. Korean J Gastroenterol. 2023 Aug 25;82(2):47-55. Korean. doi: 10.4166/kjg.2023.091. PMID: 37621239.