• A new study provides further evidence of a link between cancer and inflammation caused by diets high in processed foods.
• Tumors have been found to be fueled by inflammatory compounds and lack compounds associated with healing.
• Researchers are looking for disease-fighting molecules in foods like leafy greens and fish.

Ultra-processed foods could be leading to a rise in colon cancer cases – but healthy foods could offer new ways to prevent or treat the disease, new research shows.

Researchers from the University of South Florida and the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute analyzed more than 100 tumor samples from patients. They looked for compounds called bioactive lipids, molecules that can increase or decrease inflammation in the body.

The research team found that tumor samples contained high levels of these inflammation-causing compounds compared to healthy tissue.

Previous findings have linked increased inflammation to a diet high in processed foods such as chips, sausages, packaged desserts and refined carbohydrates.

Processed foods are found almost everywhere in our diet and there is increasing evidence that they contribute to poor health. At the same time, cases of colorectal cancer are increasing among younger people, and colorectal cancer is now the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.

The research team also found that the tumors lacked molecules associated with healing and reducing inflammation.

Insight into the tumors could give scientists the tools to fight cancer by trying to balance the body’s immune response, slowing or stopping tumor growth by reducing inflammatory compounds and promoting healthy compounds.

One source of these types of molecules is our diet, for example from foods such as leafy vegetables and seafood, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

“When the molecules come from processed foods, they directly unbalance the immune system and promote chronic inflammation,” Ganesh Halade, a professor at the University of South Florida Health Heart Institute and co-author of the study, said in a press release. “Our bodies are designed to actively fight inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds that come from the healthy fats like avocados that we consume.”

Fight cancer with fish oil

The study, published Dec. 10 in the journal Gut, is the first of a project funded by a five-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

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The results help researchers better understand how food can influence cancer risk, said Dr. Timothy Yeatman, professor of surgery at the University of South Florida and senior author of the study, in a press release.

Cancer is like a “chronic wound that doesn’t heal,” and a daily diet of highly processed foods can make it harder for the body to fight off tumors due to increased inflammation, Yeatman said.

While it’s no news that spinach and seafood are better for you than donuts and soda, identifying the connection between food and inflammation opens up more effective strategies to ward off disease in the future.

For example, the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute conducted initial trials with a modified form of fish oil that showed promising results in reducing inflammation, the release said.

“This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment and go beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes,” Yeatman said. “It’s an important step in combating chronic inflammation and preventing disease before it starts.”

There is now evidence that the best choice for a longer, healthier life is to stick to a diet containing mostly whole, unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, lean proteins and whole grains.