Plant-Based Food Intake Linked to Better QoL in Prostate Cancer

TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with prostate cancer, greater consumption of plant-based foods is associated with higher scores in quality-of-life domains, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in Cancer.

Stacy Loeb, M.D., Ph.D., from New York University and Manhattan Veterans Affairs in New York City, and colleagues examined the relationship between plant-based diet indices after prostate cancer diagnosis and quality of life in a prospective cohort study involving 3,505 participants in the Health Professionals Follow‐Up Study (1986 to 2016) with nonmetastatic prostate cancer. Overall and healthful plant-based diet indices were calculated using food-frequency questionnaires. The Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite was used to calculate quality-of-life scores.

The researchers found that better scores for sexual function, urinary irritation/obstruction, urinary incontinence, and hormonal/vitality were seen in association with a higher plant-based diet index. In the age-adjusted analysis, but not in the multivariable analysis, consuming more healthful plant-based foods was also associated with better sexual and bowel function and improved urinary incontinence and hormonal/vitality scores.

"Individuals with prostate cancer should be advised that incorporating a greater amount of plant‐based foods into their diet could not only reduce the risk of comorbid conditions but also contribute to improved functional outcomes," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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