Diet & gut health boost could slow prostate cancer

Experts in treatment breakthrough using supplements

- BY MARTIN BAGOT

BOOSTING cancer patients' diets with vegetables and good bacteria could slow tumour growth, research suggests.

Giving prostate cancer patients supplements slowed progression of a crucial indicator of prostate cancer in the blood in an international trial.

Men given a vegetable-rich supplement containing broccoli, turmeric, pomegranate, green tea, ginger and cranberry also saw improvements in urinary symptoms in the study.

This, coupled with a probiotic containing lactobacillus bacteria, appeared to reduce levels of prostate-specific antigen in blood, which can indicate disease progression.

Oncologist and study author Professor Robert Thomas said: "This study shows, for the first time, that improving the balance of bacteria in the gut can slow prostate cancer activity while also improving important aspects of men's health such as urinary symptoms, inflammation and physical strength."

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts promoted as having health benefits and are usually added to yoghurts or taken as food supplements. They are often promoted as good or friendly bacteria and the NHS says they are thought to help restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut.