A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in breast cancer survivors, a study shows.
- Women who have survived breast cancer – more than eight out of ten patients – are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The fault, “probably, is the cardiotoxic effects of anti-cancer treatment, as well as common risk factors such as aging, lack of exercise and smoking,” according to a study.
- Patients whose eating habits were closest to the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis were less likely to suffer from heart disease.
- The researchers also noted that “the relationship between DASH and cardiovascular disease appeared to be modified by the type of chemotherapy treatment the women underwent.”
Women who have survived breast cancer – more than eight out of ten patients – are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Fault, “probably due to the cardiotoxic effects of anti-cancer treatment, as well as common risk factors for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, such as aging, lack of exercise and smoking.”
A new study, published in the journal JNCI Cancer Spectrumhowever, reveals that it would be possible to beat the odds by following a particularly healthy diet.
DASH diet linked to fewer heart problems in breast cancer survivors
Researchers from Kaiser Permanente, a US-based medical services consortium, used data from the Pathways Study, which includes a cohort of 3,415 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 2005 and 2013 and monitored until ‘in 2021, in order to examine the link between cardiovascular problems and nutrition. They based their “rating system” on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, designed to limit high blood pressure and protect the heart. This emphasizes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products, excluding salt, sugar, red and processed meats as much as possible.
The team of scientists found that patients whose eating habits were closest to the DASH diet at the time of their diagnosis had a lower risk of suffering from heart failure (-47%), arrhythmia or cardiac arrest. lower (-23%), lower valvular heart disease (-21%) or even venous thromboembolism (-25%) than women with a less balanced diet. The results also show that increased consumption of low-fat dairy products reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Women with breast cancer are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease
In detail, the researchers noticed that “the relationship between DASH and cardiovascular disease appeared to be modified by the type of chemotherapy treatment women underwent”can we read in a communicated. For example, while women treated with anthracyclines and given a diet similar to DASH had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who did not follow such a diet, this association was no longer apparent in women who received other types chemotherapy.
While, in women with breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases constitute “the leading cause of death not linked to cancer” itself, this study suggests that “We need to start talking to cancer survivors about the potential benefits of the DASH diet for heart health”conclude the authors.
