Liver cancer is one of the rarer, but often fatal tumor diseases.
A study shows which diet can increase the risk of liver cancer.
Frankfurt – Liver cancer (liver carcinoma) is a malignant disease of the cells in the liver.
Although it is relatively rare, it is one of the most common causes of cancer death due to the poor prognosis.
According to the German Cancer Society (DKG), around 8790 people (6160 men, 2630 women) develop this type of cancer in Germany every year.
A special feature of liver cancer is the increasing frequency of new cases and deaths in Germany.
As the DKG informs, the incidence of liver cancer is increasing significantly in Germany, other European countries and the USA.
In the past 35 years, the number of new cases has doubled in both men and women.
A University of Toledo study found that certain diets can increase the risk of liver cancer in some people.
Bad habits can destroy your liver
Bad habits can destroy your liver
Liver cancer: Diet high in fiber increases risk of liver cancer
Many people eat high-fiber foods to lose weight and prevent chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer.
The detailed study results, published in the journal
Gastroenterology
, show that a diet high in fiber (such as inulin) may increase the risk of liver cancer, particularly in people who have a vascular malformation that causes blood to leak out the intestine bypasses the liver.
Normally, blood flows from the intestines to the liver, where it is filtered before returning to the rest of the body.
When there is a vascular defect (called a portosystemic shunt), blood is diverted from the intestine away from the liver and back into the body's general blood supply.
The vascular defect also allows the liver to continuously synthesize bile acids.
These bile acids eventually overflow and end up in the bloodstream instead of the intestines.
Blood shunted by the liver contains high levels of microbial products that can stimulate the immune system and cause inflammation.
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Liver cancer (liver carcinoma) is a malignant disease of the cells in the liver.
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“This study is a remarkable advance.
It provides clues that can help identify individuals at higher risk of liver cancer and, if anything, allow us to lower the risk with simple dietary changes," writes Dr.
Matam Vijay-Kumar, lead author of the study and professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the College of Medicine and Life Sciences.
Liver cancer: Previous study shows that inulin appears to have an impact on cancer development
Four years ago, Vijay-Kumar's team published important work in
Cell journal.
At that time they asked
found that a high percentage of mice with immune system defects developed liver cancer after being fed an inulin-enriched diet.
Inulin is a plant-based, fermentable dietary fiber that is available in supermarkets as a health-promoting prebiotic.
It's also a common ingredient in processed foods.
While inulin promotes metabolic health in most people who consume it, Vijay-Kumar and his colleagues discovered that about one in 10 apparently healthy standard laboratory mice developed liver cancer after consuming the inulin-containing diet.
"This was very surprising considering how rarely liver cancer is seen in mice," Vijay-Kumar said in his report.
"The results raised real questions about the potential risks of certain dietary fibers, but only now do we understand why the mice developed such an aggressive cancer."
Liver Cancer: Not all fiber is equally good for everyone
"Dietary inulin is good for reducing inflammation, but it can lead to immunosuppression, which is not good for the liver," writes Dr.
Beng San Yeoh, a postdoc and first author of the study.
While the researchers don't make a blanket argument against the health benefits of fiber, they urge people to pay attention to what type of fiber they eat, underscoring the importance of personalized nutrition.
“Not all fiber is created equal, and not all fiber is equally good for all people.
People with liver problems associated with elevated bile acids should be cautious about fermentable fiber," Yeoh said.
"If you have a leaky gut liver, you need to watch what you eat.
Because what you eat is processed differently”.
Interestingly, the researchers found that high total fiber intake resulted in a 40 percent increased risk of liver cancer in those whose blood bile acid levels were in the top quartile of the sample.
The risk of cancer in general can be reduced with five tips for everyday life.
Liver cancer: link between bile acid and dietary fiber
Overall, according to Yeoh and Vijay-Kumar, the results suggest both the need for regular testing of blood bile acid levels and a cautious approach to fiber intake in people who know their blood bile acid levels are above normal.
The latest discovery could help doctors identify people with an increased risk of liver cancer years before tumors develop and give them the opportunity to reduce the risk through simple dietary changes.
(Vivian Werg)
Editor's note
The information given in this article does not replace a visit to a doctor. Only experts can make the right diagnosis and initiate appropriate therapy. The intake of medication or dietary supplements should be discussed with a doctor beforehand.
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