Everyday food item in most people’s cupboards could actually be linked to colon cancer

There is an everyday food item in most people’s cupboards which could actually be linked to colon cancer, according to a group of scientists.

When presenting at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago, such experts explained that they tracked as many as 1,625 patients with colon cancer that had spread to the nearby lymph glands, but not beyond.

All volunteers involved in the study completed a series of food questionnaires about how often they consumed foods that fell under 18 food groups - nine of which were pro-inflammatory and the other nine were anti-inflammatory.

Scientists have issued a colon cancer warning over an everyday food item that's probably in your pantry (SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images)

What was the study that showed a link between food and colon cancer?

During a three-year follow-up, the researchers discovered that patients in the top 20% of most inflammatory diets had a pretty sizeable 36% higher risk of dying from their cancer than the individuals who consumed the least amount of inflammatory foods.

Additionally, those in the top 20% also had an 87% higher risk of death overall than the bottom 20%.

Diet clearly had a major impact on ability to exercise too as those who consumed the least inflammatory diet and maintained the highest levels of physical activity had a whopping 63% lower risk of death.

What have the experts said about the link?

Speaking on the findings, SCO president and top cancer specialist, Julie Gralow, suggested 'we need to be essentially prescribing healthy diet and exercise.'

"The combination of the two are synergistic," she added.

The likes of Dr Catherine Elliott, Cancer Research UK's director of research, also told MailOnline: "This study adds to interesting emerging evidence about the role of inflammation in the progression of colon cancer.

"We need more high-quality research like this to help us uncover more about how our diet influences cancer outcomes."

White bread is a very popular example of a highly-processed everyday food item (Kinga Krzeminska / Getty Images)

What foods are linked to colon cancer?

According to the expert, when it comes to food and cancer risk, 'our overall diet is far more important than any single food or ingredient.'

"A healthy, balanced diet includes eating lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy sources of protein like beans and chicken," she added. "Cutting down on processed and red meats, and foods high in fat, sugar and salt also helps."

Many of us regularly opt for white, packaged bread when it comes to our breakfast or lunch, but it is this everyday food item which can seriously raise the risk of dying from colon cancer by more than a third, the new trial has suggested.

Other foods that fall under the pro-inflammatory category include processed meats like bacon, ham and sausages, sugary drinks and other refined carbohydrates like white pasta.

This particular study follows other research also presented at ASCO, which found that colon cancer patients who stuck to an anti-inflammatory diet reduced their risk of the disease spreading or recurring by as much as 38%.

The study, led by scientists at Maimonides Medical Centre in New York, tracked the food habits of 796 patients who had been diagnosed with the disease between 2015 and 2023.

Researchers noted that consuming a diet high in ultra-processed foods raised the odds almost two and a half times.

"Ultra-processed foods increase inflammation and colon cancer risk while anti-inflammatory diets offer protective benefits," they explained. "Dietary intervention must play a role in preventing cancer."

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.