While there are emerging reports in the scientific literature on potential associations between cholesterol/lipids and prostate cancer, information on the dietary management of these cancer patients is currently lacking. We report on a 57-year-old white
Australian male diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer who had personalized dietary management in preparation for and following his medical treatment: radiation and radical prostatectomy. Dietary recommendations were based on his blood results and nutrigenomic tests which showed a history of and genetic predisposition to dyslipidemia. Nutritional analysis also confirmed the need for dietary modification of his fat intake. Eighteen months post medical and dietary intervention his PSA level was reported at 0.1 ug/L and all blood lipid levels were within reference ranges. At two years there was no detectable disease recurrence and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was not required. Personalized dietary recommendations could be a clinically beneficial addition to the multidisciplinary management of prostate cancer patients.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-023-01377-6
Introduction
Established risk factors for prostate cancer currently include: age, family history, ancestry, and genetics [1]. Modifiable risk factors include maintaining a healthy body weight, with the evidence for the role of diet in the etiology of prostate cancer still equivocal. According to the World Cancer Research Fund’s Continuous Update Project, the current level of evidence for diet is limited and suggestive only for a potentially increased risk of prostate cancer associated with a high intake of dairy and calcium foods, and low plasma levels of selenium and alpha tocopherol [1]. No other dietary factors are currently considered to have sufficient evidence to suggest either a protective or harmful influence on the development of prostate cancer, although there is emerging evidence to suggest that cholesterol which acts as a substrate for steroid hormone biosynthesis and lipid metabolism may have a role in prostate cancer cell growth, proliferation and progression [2, 3]. Dysregulation of lipid metabolism has been reported as a hallmark of prostate cancer progression with prostate cancer cells having an increased demand for de novo lipogenesis [2–4].
Here we report on a relatively young, active male who had no significant medical or family history of prostate cancer prior to diagnosis, only a history of dyslipidemia and his personalized dietary management using nutrigenomics, bloods, and dietary assessment.