| A fairly stringent low-fat diet in women with | | | | an average 6 pound weight loss after 5 years. |
| early-stage breast cancer resulted in a very | | | | Follow-up for this study is now approaching 6 years. |
| impressive 42% risk reduction in cancer recurrence or | | | | The recurrence and death rate amongst the entire |
| death in women with hormone receptor-negative | | | | group reached only borderline statistical significance |
| tumors, according to the second follow-up data | | | | with an approximate 15% risk reduction. However, |
| analysis from the Women's Intervention Nutrition | | | | among the 362 patients who had hormone receptor |
| Study (WINS) presented at the December 2006 29th | | | | (estrogen and progesterone) negative breast cancer, |
| Annual Breast Cancer Symposium held in San Antonio. | | | | the overall mortality was 6% in the intervention arm |
| The study was started in 1994 and is the first large | | | | and 17% in the control group. Similarly, the combined |
| scale randomized clinical trial which, so far, shows that | | | | death or recurrence rate was 9.8% in the |
| dietary changes can strongly affect outcomes in | | | | intervention arm, compared to 24% in the control |
| women with breast cancer who also receive | | | | group. This represents a 42% risk reduction of |
| conventional treatment. The findings are very | | | | recurrence or death. |
| exciting, and are holding up through a second interim | | | | Although the mechanism by which this occurs is not |
| analysis, but plans call for three more years of | | | | clear, the most likely reason is an effect on insulin, |
| follow-up to confirm the results. The next planned | | | | insulin-like growth factors and moderation of the |
| re-analysis of the data is scheduled towards the end | | | | inflammatory cascade. In other words, it is likely |
| of 2007. In addition, another confirmatory study is | | | | related to how sugars are processed and |
| planned to start in early 2007 by the Canadian | | | | inflammation is handled by your body. |
| National Cancer Institute and other smaller studies are | | | | At this time, although confirmation of these results is |
| underway. | | | | pending, a motivated woman could consider following |
| WINS was a multi-center trial involving almost 2500 | | | | the WINS diet as published in J. Am. Diet. Assoc. |
| women, ages 48 to 79, who were randomized either | | | | 2004;104:551. It is not clear if partial benefit is derived |
| to a dietary intervention arm or a control group who | | | | from a low fat diet that is not quite as stringent as |
| ate their usual diet. The randomization was | | | | the one tested. Therefore, in order to approach the |
| performed after patients underwent standard | | | | reported results, one has to be very committed to a |
| treatment for early-stage breast cancer. The | | | | very significant dietary modification. |
| intervention arm was closely directed by physicians | | | | If these results are confirmed in breast cancer, it is |
| and dieticians, and involved reducing fat consumption | | | | very tempting to speculate that this effect may be |
| from about 57 grams per day in the regular diet | | | | true in other cancers as well, especially hormonally |
| control group to an average of 24 grams per day in | | | | related or mediated cancers like endometrial and |
| the intervention arm. The intervention arm resulted in | | | | ovarian cancer. |