Connection between breast microbiome and breast cancer susceptibility
Diet and Breast Health: A New Frontier in Cancer Prevention
Recent research by Wake Forest scientists has shed light on the significant influence that diet has on the breast microbiome, a factor that can impact breast cancer risk. A healthy breast microbiome, supported by diets such as the Mediterranean diet, fosters bacterial communities that may suppress breast tumor growth.
In a study published in 2018, Wake Forest University scientists found that the difference diet can make in the breast microbiome is substantial. Macaques eating a Mediterranean diet had 10 times more Lactobacillus in their breasts compared to macaques fed a Western diet. Lactobacillus, a type of bacteria, has been found to decrease breast cancer tumor growth in previous preclinical studies.
The Mediterranean diet, which includes fish, poultry, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, beans, and legumes, has also been found to promote good breast health. It's recommended to limit alcohol to a glass of red wine with dinner and make sweets an occasional treat when following this diet.
Conversely, diets typical of the modern Western pattern—high in simple carbohydrates, saturated fats, and low in fiber—can reduce microbial diversity and potentially increase cancer risk. Fecal transplants of mice showed that replacing the low-fat diet gut microbiome with the microbiome of high-fat diet consuming animals increased breast cancer risk. Mice susceptible to breast cancer that were fed a high-fat diet had more and larger tumors, and the tumors developed more quickly compared to mice on a low-fat diet.
Research also shows that eating like they do in the Mediterranean not only promotes good breast health but also helps manage stress, maintain weight loss, promote healthy aging, and is good for heart, prostate, and gut health. However, it's important to note that obesity, associated with a high-fat diet, is a risk factor in postmenopausal breast cancer, but the link to microbiomes and the impact on breast cancer and patient outcomes is not well understood.
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements help combat inflammation and support a healthy heart and brain. In a clinical trial, breast cancer patients given fish oil supplements for two to four weeks showed significant changes in the microbiome throughout the breast, including an increase in Lactobacillus in the normal breast tissue adjacent to the tumor. Krill oil supplements offer similar benefits to fish oil supplements.
Further studies are being conducted to determine whether probiotic supplements can influence microbiome populations in mammary glands and breast tumors. It's important to choose fish oil supplements that are truly sourced from fish and are free from toxins. The breast microbiome is an important factor in overall health, and adopting an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich diet can create a favorable breast microbiome that may reduce breast cancer risk, opening avenues for dietary strategies as complementary approaches in cancer prevention.
[1] Microbiome-targeted strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. Nature Reviews Cancer. 2019. [5] Impact of diet on the breast microbiome and breast cancer risk. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019.
- The recent study by Wake Forest scientists indicates that a healthy breast microbiome, supported by diets like the Mediterranean diet, may suppress breast tumor growth, potentially reducing breast cancer risk.
- In a 2018 study, scientists discovered that the difference diet can make in the breast microbiome is substantial, with macaques eating a Mediterranean diet having 10 times more Lactobacillus in their breasts compared to those consuming a Western diet.
- A diet typical of the modern Western pattern, high in simple carbohydrates, saturated fats, and low in fiber, can reduce microbial diversity and potentially increase cancer risk, as shown by studies on mice.
- Apart from promoting good breast health, the Mediterranean diet has been found to support heart, prostate, and gut health, manage stress, and aid in maintaining weight loss and healthy aging.
- Ongoing research is investigating whether probiotic supplements can influence microbiome populations in mammary glands and breast tumors. Fish oil supplements, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, help combat inflammation and promote a healthy heart and brain, and have been shown to increase Lactobacillus in breast tissue adjacent to tumors.
