Some new studies indicate that lifestyle and dietary changes can cut the risk of ovarian cancer. |
Study and research has proven time and again that one of the leading causes of cancer is unhealthy lifestyle habits and diet. And just the way an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to the development of cancer, a healthy one could cut the risk of cancer. And now new research has revealed that one of the leading causes of cancer death among women might be kept at bay with just a few tweaks to your dietary habits. In fact, a group of scientists in the US have even developed a vaccine that could enhance the body's own immune response to the cancer. |
Ovarian cancer, a malignant tumour on or inside the ovary, often starts out as a benign tumour but has the potential to become malignant. Now, researchers have found that older women who follow a well-balanced diet of low fat and high fibre could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by almost 40 per cent. The findings from the research conducted over a period of six years are based on a diet where women ate one serving of fruits or vegetables daily and reduced their fat intake by almost 8 per cent. The women were given five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, along with six servings of grains. Low-fat diets have also been found to cut the odds of breast cancer as well as colorectal cancer. |
Meanwhile, another team of researchers have designed a vaccine that contains an ovarian cancer protein fragment along with a molecule known to induce an immune response. Though the study was designed as a phase-one clinical trial and is still in its preliminary stage, the scientists claim that it has produced encouraging results by inducing the immune system to produce antibodies and mobilise the cells that target the cancer cells. |
The vaccine also suggests a long-lasting effect, since the immune cells were detected up to 12 months after immunisation. Despite being in the early stages of development, the vaccine could prove to be a blessing for women suffering from ovarian cancer, which is known to be a stealth killer owing to its asymptomatic qualities, and is thus difficult to detect in the early stages. |