It's no secret that a healthy lifestyle can slow the progression of cancer, but how this happens has been a mystery. Now new evidence suggests an answer: dieting and exercise may turn crucial genes on and off.
In a pilot study involving 30 men with early-stage prostate cancer, Dean Ornish and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, US, tested the effects of a dramatic lifestyle change on gene expression in the prostate.
Biopsies taken before and after 3 months of healthy eating, moderate exercise, stress management and psychotherapy showed a significant change in the expression of hundreds of genes.
Many, including several genes involved in tumor formation, were down-regulated, or less active. Others, including some disease-fighting genes, were more active.
Long-term follow-up studies are needed to determine if these genetic changes can truly slow or prevent cancer, he says. "But it's a very important first step," he adds. "This will usher in a new wave of research."
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