Which Foods are Recommended for Thyroid Cancer?

Highlights

No two cancers are the same, nor are they treated the same, and neither should nutrition be the same for everyone. Nutrition includes foods like pulses, vegetables, fruits, nuts, oils, herbs and spices. Also nutrition includes supplements which are high concentrations of foods or high concentrations of individual ingredients found in foods. For cancers like Thyroid Cancer when undergoing chemotherapy or when you determine you have a genetic risk for developing Thyroid Cancer because of EIF1AX and ATM gene mutations, a very important question is “What foods should I avoid and what foods are recommended specifically for me?”. The other related question is “What nutritional supplements should I avoid?”.

There is no one answer to this question for cancers such as Thyroid Cancer which can be found through internet searches. The answer to the question is “It Depends” because the nutrition plan needs to be personalized for you. Nutrition should depend on the cancer indication, genetic information, adult or pediatric, staging, primary or secondary, advanced, metastatic, relapsed or refractory, ongoing treatments if any, nutritional supplements being taken, age and factors like gender, weight, height, lifestyle, allergies and food preferences.

In short – the process to answer questions like “Should I Avoid eating fruit Sea Buckthorn” or “Include fruit Persimmon in my diet” or “Should I reduce consumption of vegetable Okra” or “Can I take D-limonene and Modified Citrus Pectin supplements” is not as simple as internet searches. The process is very complex and answers are based on knowhow of genetics, action of treatments, active ingredients in foods and their associated biological action. Finally the answer to the nutrition question needs to be personalized for you.

RECOMMENDATION: PERSONALIZE YOUR FOODS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO THYROID CANCER, TREATMENTS, GENETIC INFORMATION, AND OTHER CONDITIONS.

The overall objective of personalized nutrition for Thyroid Cancer is to minimize foods and nutritional supplements which have adverse interactions with cancer molecular drivers and ongoing treatments. And identify those foods and supplements which have a beneficial action. Whenever there are changes in treatments or diagnosis – it is important to remember that your foods and supplements need re-evaluation. And the answers to the nutrition question could be different based on the new context.

RECOMMENDATION: UPDATE YOUR NUTRITION FOR THYROID CANCER, WHEN TREATMENTS, DISEASE STATUS AND OTHER CONDITIONS CHANGE.

About Thyroid Cancer

cBioPortal is one source of collection of cancer patient data from clinical trials across 350 plus cancer indications. The data from each clinical trial includes the clinical trial name and study details like number of patients, ages, gender, ethnicity, treatments, tumor site, genetic aberrations found and analysis of all the data. The cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics was originally developed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). The public cBioPortal site is hosted by the Center for Molecular Oncology at MSK – https://www.cbioportal.org/about.

Following key highlights are derived from clinical data for Thyroid Cancer from cBioPortal. The patients enrolled in the studies for Thyroid Cancer are in ages between 22 to 87 with an average age of 58. 51.5% of males and 48.5% of females were the distribution of gender in these clinical studies. From a patient sample size of 276; the top genes with mutations and other abnormalities for Thyroid Cancer include genes BRAF, TERT, NRAS, EIF1AX and ATM. The occurrence frequency distribution for these genes respectively is 15.8%, 15.2%, 9.5%, 5.7% and 3.8%. These tumor genetic details of Thyroid Cancer are mapped to molecular biochemical pathway drivers of cancer thereby providing definition of characteristic features of Thyroid Cancer.

Significance of Nutrition for Thyroid Cancer

All foods and nutritional supplements consist of a collection of one or more active chemical ingredients in different proportions and quantities. The action of some active ingredients in a food can have adverse interactions while other active ingredients in the same food may be supportive from the context of Thyroid Cancer. Hence the same food has good and not-so-good actions and analysis of combined effect will be needed to come up with a personalized nutrition plan.

For example Sea Buckthorn includes active ingredients Isorhamnetin, Linolenic Acid, Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol, Oleic Acid and others. And Persimmon contains active ingredients Quercetin, Lycopene, Lupeol, Betulinic Acid, Fisetin and others. It is likely that some of these active ingredients of the same food could have opposing effects and hence it is recommended to identify recommended foods based on analysis of all high quantity ingredients contained in foods.

For cancers like Thyroid Cancer, activation or inhibition of selected biochemical pathways like RAS-RAF Signaling, Inositol Phosphate Signaling, MAPK Signaling, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling plays an important role in driving cancer growth. Similarly different treatments work via different molecular actions which should never be canceled out by your foods and supplements. The foods and nutritional supplements contain different active ingredients each of which have a specific molecular action on different biochemical pathways. Hence, eating some foods and nutritional supplements would be recommended with a specific treatment of Thyroid Cancer, while eating some other foods and supplements may not be recommended.

One common mistake when finding foods to eat or not – is to consider only a few active ingredients contained in foods based on internet searches and ignore the rest. Because different active ingredients contained in foods may have opposing effects on relevant biochemical pathways – it is recommended to consider all the high quantity active ingredients that are present in significant and much larger than trace amounts in the food.

RECOMMENDATION: TO FIND RECOMMENDED AND NON-RECOMMENDED FOODS FOR THYROID CANCER – CONSIDER HIGH QUANTITY ACTIVE INGREDIENTS CONTAINED IN FOODS.

Foods for Thyroid Cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment

In Thyroid Cancer – the genes BRAF, TERT, NRAS, EIF1AX and ATM have high occurrences of genomic abnormalities. Not all of these genes necessarily are relevant for cancer – though they have been reported. Some of these genes directly or indirectly end up manipulating different cancer related biochemical biological pathways. Some of the pathways which are relevant drivers for Thyroid Cancer are RAS-RAF Signaling, Inositol Phosphate Signaling, MAPK Signaling and others. Dabrafenib is one of the chemotherapies used for cancer treatment. The intent of treatment is to negate or cancel out effects of biochemical pathway drivers RAS-RAF Signaling, Inositol Phosphate Signaling, MAPK Signaling so as to reduce disease progression and inhibit growth. Those foods whose combined action of active ingredients support treatment action and do not enhance disease drivers are recommended foods and supplements which will be included in personalized nutrition. And similarly – those foods whose combined action of active ingredients is not supportive of treatment action but end up promoting disease drives will not be recommended in your personalized nutrition plan.

RECOMMENDATION: AVOID SUPPLEMENTS AND FOODS WHICH ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF CANCER TREATMENT ACTION AND RATHER ENHANCE DISEASE DRIVERS.

Eat more pulses, Winged Bean or Pigeon Pea?

Pulses are an important part of many diets. The active ingredients contained in Winged Bean are Betulinic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Vitamin C, Oleic Acid, Isovitexin among others. While the active ingredients contained in Pigeon Pea are Genistein, Linolenic Acid, Vitamin C, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid and others.

Betulinic Acid can manipulate biochemical pathways DNA Repair, JAK-STAT Signaling and Cell Survival. Vitamin C has biological action on biochemical pathways Growth Factor Signaling, MYC Signaling and WNT Beta Catenin Signaling.

Genistein can manipulate biochemical pathways DNA Repair. Vitamin A has biological action on biochemical pathways Oxidative Stress and TGFB Signaling. And so on.

When treating Thyroid Cancer with chemotherapy Dabrafenib – Foods like Winged Bean are recommended compared to Pigeon Pea. This is because the active ingredients Genistein and Vitamin A in Pigeon Pea interferes with treatment action by canceling out the biochemical pathways through which the chemotherapy works. While the active ingredients Betulinic Acid and Vitamin C contained in Winged Bean support the treatment action by enhancing the biochemical pathway effect through which the chemotherapy works.

RECOMMENDATION: WINGED BEAN IS RECOMMENDED OVER PIGEON PEA FOR THYROID CANCER ON TREATMENT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY DABRAFENIB FOR SOME CONDITIONS.

Eat more vegetables, Jicama or Okra?

Vegetables are an important part of many diets. The active ingredients contained in Jicama are Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Vitamin B3, Vitamin A, Folic Acid among others. While the active ingredients contained in Okra are Quercetin, Salicylic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol and others.

Vitamin C can manipulate biochemical pathways Growth Factor Signaling, MYC Signaling and WNT Beta Catenin Signaling. Beta-carotene has biological action on biochemical pathways DNA Repair, TGFB Signaling and Cell Survival.

Vitamin A can manipulate biochemical pathways Oxidative Stress and TGFB Signaling. Salicylic Acid has biological action on biochemical pathways DNA Repair. And so on.

When treating Thyroid Cancer with chemotherapy Dabrafenib – Foods like Jicama are recommended compared to Okra. This is because the active ingredients Vitamin A and Salicylic Acid in Okra interferes with treatment action by canceling out the biochemical pathways through which the chemotherapy works. While the active ingredients Vitamin C and Beta-carotene contained in Jicama support the treatment action by enhancing the biochemical pathway effect through which the chemotherapy works.

RECOMMENDATION: JICAMA IS RECOMMENDED OVER OKRA FOR THYROID CANCER ON TREATMENT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY DABRAFENIB FOR SOME CONDITIONS.

Eat more fruits, Persimmon or Sea Buckthorn?

Fruits are an important part of many diets. The active ingredients contained in Persimmon are Quercetin, Lycopene, Lupeol, Betulinic Acid, Fisetin among others. While the active ingredients contained in Sea Buckthorn are Isorhamnetin, Linolenic Acid, Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol, Oleic Acid and others.

Lycopene can manipulate biochemical pathways Cell Junctions, Cytoskeletal Dynamics and Growth Factor Signaling. Vitamin C has biological action on biochemical pathways MYC Signaling, WNT Beta Catenin Signaling and MAPK Signaling.

Beta-sitosterol can manipulate biochemical pathways Oxidative Stress. Isorhamnetin has biological action on biochemical pathways Oxidative Stress. And so on.

When treating Thyroid Cancer with chemotherapy Dabrafenib – Foods like Persimmon are recommended compared to Sea Buckthorn. This is because the active ingredients Beta-sitosterol and Isorhamnetin in Sea Buckthorn interferes with treatment action by canceling out the biochemical pathways through which the chemotherapy works. While the active ingredients Lycopene and Vitamin C contained in Persimmon support the treatment action by enhancing the biochemical pathway effect through which the chemotherapy works.

RECOMMENDATION: PERSIMMON IS RECOMMENDED OVER SEA BUCKTHORN FOR THYROID CANCER ON TREATMENT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY DABRAFENIB FOR SOME CONDITIONS.

Eat more nuts, Pine Nut or Peanut?

Nuts are an important part of many diets. The active ingredients contained in Pine Nut are Vitamin E, Linolenic Acid, Beta-sitosterol, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid among others. While the active ingredients contained in Peanut are Quercetin, Vitamin E, Linolenic Acid, Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol and others.

Vitamin K can manipulate biochemical pathways MYC Signaling and PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling. Vitamin E has biological action on biochemical pathways Inositol Phosphate Signaling, Growth Factor Signaling and DNA Repair.

Beta-sitosterol can manipulate biochemical pathways Oxidative Stress. Vitamin A has biological action on biochemical pathways TGFB Signaling and Oxidative Stress. And so on.

When treating Thyroid Cancer with chemotherapy Dabrafenib – Foods like Pine Nut are recommended compared to Peanut. This is because the active ingredients Beta-sitosterol and Vitamin A in Peanut interferes with treatment action by canceling out the biochemical pathways through which the chemotherapy works. While the active ingredients Vitamin K and Vitamin E contained in Pine Nut support the treatment action by enhancing the biochemical pathway effect through which the chemotherapy works.

RECOMMENDATION: PINE NUT IS RECOMMENDED OVER PEANUT FOR THYROID CANCER ON TREATMENT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY DABRAFENIB FOR SOME CONDITIONS.

Foods for Genetic Risk of Thyroid Cancer

One of the ways to assess risk of cancer is by checking for presence of genetic abnormalities in a set of genes. There is prior information on a list of genes whose mutations and other aberrations can play a role in risk to different cancers. EIF1AX and ATM are two genes whose abnormalities are risk factors for Thyroid Cancer. In such a cancer risk situation – while there are typically no treatments which a physician can prescribe – the various biochemical pathways which are potentially molecular drivers of Thyroid Cancer can be used as a guide for coming up with a recommended personalized nutrition plan. For Thyroid Cancer gene EIF1AX has causative impact on biological pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling. And ATM has a causative impact on biological pathways like DNA Repair and Cell Cycle Checkpoints. Foods and nutritional supplements which have molecular action to cancel out biochemical pathways effects of genes like EIF1AX and ATM should be included in a personalized nutrition plan. And those foods and supplements which promote the effects of genes EIF1AX and ATM should be avoided.

Eat more pulses, Scarlet Bean or Fava Bean?

The active ingredients contained in Scarlet Bean are Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Stigmasterol among others. While the active ingredients contained in Fava Bean are Daidzein, Cianidanol, Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol, Linolenic Acid and others.

Vitamin C can manipulate biochemical pathways Apoptosis, MYC Signaling and P53 Signaling. Stigmasterol has biological action on biochemical pathways Cell Cycle Checkpoints, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and Apoptosis.

Ferulic Acid can manipulate biochemical pathways DNA Repair. Quercetin has biological action on biochemical pathways DNA Repair. And so on.

For genetic risk of Thyroid Cancer due to abnormalities in genes EIF1AX and ATM – Foods like Scarlet Bean are recommended compared to Fava Bean. This is because the active ingredients Ferulic Acid and Quercetin in Fava Bean further promote the effects of genes on the biochemical pathways. While the active ingredients Vitamin C and Stigmasterol contained in Scarlet Bean together have a canceling effect of genes on the biochemical pathways.

RECOMMENDATION: SCARLET BEAN IS RECOMMENDED OVER FAVA BEAN FOR REDUCING THE GENETIC RISK OF THYROID CANCER DUE TO GENES EIF1AX AND ATM

Eat more vegetables, Giant Butterbur or Celery?

The active ingredients contained in Giant Butterbur are Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol, Vitamin B3, Melatonin, Vitamin A among others. While the active ingredients contained in Celery are Apigenin, Vitamin C, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Cynaroside and others.

Vitamin C can manipulate biochemical pathways Apoptosis, MYC Signaling and P53 Signaling. Vitamin B3 has biological action on biochemical pathways Cell Cycle Checkpoints, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and Apoptosis.

Cynaroside can manipulate biochemical pathways Oncogenic Cancer Epigenetics. Luteolin has biological action on biochemical pathways MYC Signaling and DNA Repair. And so on.

For genetic risk of Thyroid Cancer due to abnormalities in genes EIF1AX and ATM – Foods like Giant Butterbur are recommended compared to Celery. This is because the active ingredients Cynaroside and Luteolin in Celery further promote the effects of genes on the biochemical pathways. While the active ingredients Vitamin C and Vitamin B3 contained in Giant Butterbur together have a canceling effect of genes on the biochemical pathways.

RECOMMENDATION: GIANT BUTTERBUR IS RECOMMENDED OVER CELERY FOR REDUCING THE GENETIC RISK OF THYROID CANCER DUE TO GENES EIF1AX AND ATM

Eat more fruits, Kiwi or Papaya?

The active ingredients contained in Kiwi are Vitamin C, Quercetin, Chlorogenic Acid, Fisetin, Vitamin A among others. While the active ingredients contained in Papaya are Linalool, Lycopene, Benzyl Isothiocyanate, Vitamin C, Beta-sitosterol and others.

Vitamin C can manipulate biochemical pathways Apoptosis, MYC Signaling and P53 Signaling. Chlorogenic Acid has biological action on biochemical pathways Oncogenic Cancer Epigenetics, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and MYC Signaling.

Zeaxanthin can manipulate biochemical pathways DNA Repair. Salicylic Acid has biological action on biochemical pathways DNA Repair. And so on.

For genetic risk of Thyroid Cancer due to abnormalities in genes EIF1AX and ATM – Foods like Kiwi are recommended compared to Papaya. This is because the active ingredients Zeaxanthin and Salicylic Acid in Papaya further promote the effects of genes on the biochemical pathways. While the active ingredients Vitamin C and Chlorogenic Acid contained in Kiwi together have a canceling effect of genes on the biochemical pathways.

RECOMMENDATION: KIWI IS RECOMMENDED OVER PAPAYA FOR REDUCING THE GENETIC RISK OF THYROID CANCER DUE TO GENES EIF1AX AND ATM

Eat more nuts, Hazelnut or Macadamia Nut?

The active ingredients contained in Hazelnut are Vitamin E, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Quercetin among others. While the active ingredients contained in Macadamia Nut are Beta-sitosterol, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Folic Acid and others.

Vitamin E can manipulate biochemical pathways Apoptosis, MYC Signaling and P53 Signaling. Myricitrin has biological action on biochemical pathways PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and MYC Signaling.

Palmitic Acid can manipulate biochemical pathways Oncogenic Cancer Epigenetics and DNA Repair. Lauric Acid has biological action on biochemical pathways MYC Signaling and PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling. And so on.

For genetic risk of Thyroid Cancer due to abnormalities in genes EIF1AX and ATM – Foods like Hazelnut are recommended compared to Macadamia Nut. This is because the active ingredients Palmitic Acid and Lauric Acid in Macadamia Nut further promote the effects of genes on the biochemical pathways. While the active ingredients Vitamin E and Myricitrin contained in Hazelnut together have a canceling effect of genes on the biochemical pathways.

RECOMMENDATION: HAZELNUT IS RECOMMENDED OVER MACADAMIA NUT FOR REDUCING THE GENETIC RISK OF THYROID CANCER DUE TO GENES EIF1AX AND ATM

In Summary

An important thing to remember is that cancer treatments may not be the same for everyone – and neither should your nutrition be. Nutrition which includes food and nutritional supplements is a very effective tool controlled by you.

“What should I eat?” is the most frequently asked question in the context of cancer. The answer calculation is complex and depends upon cancer type, underlying genomics, current treatments, any allergies, lifestyle information, and factors like BMI.

The addon personalized nutrition plan recommends foods and supplements which minimizes adverse nutrition interactions and encourages support to treatments.

You can get started NOW and design a personalized nutrition plan for Thyroid Cancer by answering questions on type of cancer, current treatments, supplements, allergies, age group, gender, and lifestyle information.

What food you eat and which supplements you take is a decision you make. Your decision should include consideration of the cancer gene mutations, which cancer, ongoing treatments and supplements, any allergies, lifestyle information, weight, height and habits.

The nutrition planning for cancer from addon is not based on internet searches. It automates the decision making for you based on molecular science implemented by our scientists and software engineers. Irrespective of whether you care to understand the underlying biochemical molecular pathways or not - for nutrition planning for cancer that understanding is needed.

Get started NOW with your nutrition planning by answering questions on the name of cancer, genetic mutations, ongoing treatments and supplements, any allergies, habits, lifestyle, age group and gender.

References

• Msk Impact 2017
• TRK Fusions Are Enriched in Cancers with Uncommon Histologies and the Absence of Canonical Driver Mutations.
• Cryptorchidism: a pediatrician’s view.
• The synergy of Vitamin C with decitabine activates TET2 in leukemic cells and significantly improves overall survival in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
• BRCA1 and BRCA2 as molecular targets for phytochemicals indole-3-carbinol and genistein in breast and prostate cancer cells.
• Retinol supplementation induces oxidative stress and modulates antioxidant enzyme activities in rat sertoli cells.
• Antimetastatic effects and mechanisms of apo-8′-lycopenal, an enzymatic metabolite of lycopene, against human hepatocarcinoma SK-Hep-1 cells.
• Reactive oxygen species-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase plays a critical role in beta-sitosterol-induced apoptosis in multiple myeloma U266 cells.
• The effect of Pasteurella haemolytica cytotoxin on bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes can be attenuated by beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.
• Research progress on the anticancer effects of vitamin K2.
• Gamma- and delta-tocotrienols exert a more potent anticancer effect than alpha-tocopheryl succinate on breast cancer cell lines irrespective of HER-2/neu expression.
• Stigmasterol isolated from marine microalgae Navicula incerta induces apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
• Legionella pneumophila serogroup 12 pneumonia in a renal transplant recipient: case report and environmental observations.
• [Basic formulation of the tasks of special education in rehabilitating the physically handicapped].
• [Effects of tizanidine, a central muscle relaxant, upon spinal reflexes].
• Cyclin A2 and CDK2 as Novel Targets of Aspirin and Salicylic Acid: A Potential Role in Cancer Prevention.
• Concurrent acetylation of FoxO1/3a and p53 due to sirtuins inhibition elicit Bim/PUMA mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in berberine-treated HepG2 cells.
• 3-Hydroxychromones as cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors: synthesis and biological evaluation.
• Myricitrin blocks activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways to protect nigrostriatum neuron in LPS-stimulated mice.
• Functional lipidomics: Palmitic acid impairs hepatocellular carcinoma development by modulating membrane fluidity and glucose metabolism.
• Clinical pharmacodynamics of antihistamines.
• HyperFoods: Machine intelligent mapping of cancer-beating molecules in foods.
• Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant Capacities, and Inhibitory Effects on Digestive Enzymes of Different Kiwifruits.