A High-Fiber Diet May Reduce the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer

According to research published in the International Journal of Cancer, a diet rich in fiber may lower the risk of developing head and neck cancer.

Cancers of the organs within the mouth and the soft palate, nasopharynx (upper throat), larynx (voice box), paranasal sinuses, and salivary glands make up head and neck cancers. The most important causes, or risk factors, are tobacco and alcohol use.

High-fiber foods were already thought to reduce head and neck cancer risk, but this association had not been reported before the research discussed here.

For this research, 10 case-control studies involving 5959 patients with head and neck cancer were pooled. A control group of 12.248 people was also identified.

Participants were analyzed in terms of daily total energy intake, smoking, alcohol use, age, sex, education, and dietary patterns.

According to the study’s most striking finding, a high-fiber dietary pattern reduced the risk of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer by 51% and laryngeal cancer by 34%. However, the researchers emphasized that the 10 studies included in the assessment were quite heterogeneous.

How Might Eating Fiber-Rich Foods Reduce Head and Neck Cancer Risk?

There are initially 3 possible explanations for this association:

• First, eating fiber-rich foods reduces the glycemic load and thus inflammation, which plays an important role in cancer.
• Second, fiber-rich foods may reduce contact between carcinogens in tobacco and alcohol and the epithelial cells lining the head and neck region.
• Third, people who follow a high-fiber diet generally have a healthier overall lifestyle.

In conclusion, as numerous studies have emphasized for years, fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains are indispensable to healthy eatingbecause of their high fiber content. Future studies will clarify the cellular mechanisms through which fiber-rich foods reduce the risk of head and neck cancers.