Foods for Teratoma!

Introduction

Foods for Teratoma should be personalized for each individual and also must adapt when cancer treatment or tumor genetic change. The personalization and adaptation must consider all the active ingredients or bioactives contained in different foods with respect to cancer tissue biology, genetics, treatments, lifestyle conditions and diet preferences. Hence while nutrition is one of the very important decisions for a cancer patient and individual at risk of cancer to make – how to choose foods to eat is not an easy task.

Teratoma is a type of tumor that can occur in various parts of the body, including the ovaries. It is a unique type of cystic tumor that can contain tissues from different germ cell layers, which can lead to the formation of structures such as teeth and even eyes. The definition of teratoma is a mixed germ cell tumor composed of tissues from different embryological origins. Most teratomas are benign (noncancerous) but they can be malignant (cancerous). Symptoms of teratoma may vary depending on its location and size, and may include pain, bleeding, swelling, slightly elevated levels of hormone beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (BhCG) and elevated levels of tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Ovarian teratomas my cause abdominal pain and pelvic pain while testicular teratoma symptoms include a lump in the testicle or swelling in one or both testicles. Treatment options can include surgical removal, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Teratoma vs dermoid cyst is a comparison that is often made, as both are cystic tumors that may contain various types of tissues. The survival rate for teratoma cancer depends on various factors, including the tumor’s grade, stage, and response to treatment. Regular monitoring, ultrasounds, and prompt medical intervention are important for managing teratoma and achieving the best possible outcomes.

For Teratoma does it matter what vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds one eats?

A very common nutrition question asked by cancer patients and individuals at-genetic risk of cancer is – for cancers like Teratoma does it matter what foods I eat and which I do not? Or if I follow a plant-based diet is that enough for cancer like Teratoma?

For example does it matter if vegetable Cauliflower is consumed more compared to Ostrich Fern? Does it make any difference if fruit Pummelo is preferred over Soursop? Also if similar choices are made for nuts/seeds like Hazelnut over Macadamia Nut and for pulses like Black-eyed Pea over Catjang Pea. And if what I eat matters – then how does one identify foods which are recommended for Teratoma and is it the same answer for everyone with the same diagnosis or genetic risk?

Yes! Foods you eat matters for Teratoma!

Food recommendations may not be the same for everyone and can be different even for the same diagnosis and genetic risk.

All foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, pulses, oils etc.) and nutritional supplements are made up of more than one active molecular ingredient or bio-actives in different proportions and quantities. Each active ingredient has a unique mechanism of action – which can be activation or inhibition of different biochemical pathways. Simply stated foods and supplements which are recommended are those which do not cause an increase of molecular drivers of cancer but reduce them. Else those foods should not be recommended. Foods contain multiple active ingredients – hence when evaluating foods and supplements you need to consider the impact of all active ingredients cumulatively rather than individually.

For example Pummelo contains active ingredients Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Naringin. And Soursop contains active ingredients Curcumin, Apigenin, Emodin, Lupeol, Formononetin and possibly others.

A common mistake made when deciding and choosing foods to eat for Teratoma – is to evaluate only selected active ingredients contained in foods and ignore the rest. Because different active ingredients contained in foods may have opposing effects on cancer drivers – you cannot cherry pick active ingredients in foods and supplements for making a nutrition decision for Teratoma.

YES – FOOD CHOICES MATTER FOR CANCER. NUTRITION DECISIONS MUST CONSIDER ALL ACTIVE INGREDIENTS OF FOODS.

Skills Needed for Nutrition Personalization for Teratoma?

Personalized nutrition for cancers like Teratoma consists of recommended foods / supplements; not recommended foods / supplements with example recipes which prioritize use of recommended foods. An example of personalized nutrition can be seen at this link.

Deciding which foods are recommended or not is extremely complicated, requiring expertise in Teratoma biology, food science, genetics, biochemistry along with good understanding of how cancer treatments work and associated vulnerabilities by which the treatments could stop being effective.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE EXPERTISE NEEDED FOR NUTRITION PERSONALIZATION FOR CANCER ARE: CANCER BIOLOGY, FOOD SCIENCE, CANCER TREATMENTS AND GENETICS.

Characteristics of cancers like Teratoma

All cancers like Teratoma can be characterized by a unique set of biochemical pathways – the signature pathways of Teratoma. Biochemical pathways like DNA Repair, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling, C-type Lectin Receptor Signaling, Inositol Phosphate Signaling are part of the signature definition of Teratoma. Each individual’s cancer genetics can be different and hence their specific cancer signature could be unique.

The treatments which are effective for Teratoma need to be cognizant of the associated signature biochemical pathways for each cancer patient and individual at genetic risk. Therefore different treatments with different mechanisms of actions are effective for different patients. Similarly and for the same reasons foods and supplements need to be personalized for each individual. Hence some foods and supplements are recommended for Teratoma when taking cancer treatment Radiation, and some foods and supplements are not recommended.

Sources like cBioPortal and many others provide population representative patient anonymized data from clinical trials for all cancer indications. This data consists of clinical trial study details like sample size / number of patients, age groups, gender, ethnicity, treatments, tumor site and any genetic mutations.

PTEN, TNFRSF14, TP53, CD79B and EPHA5 are the top ranked reported genes for Teratoma. PTEN is reported in 14.3 % of the representative patients across all clinical trials. And TNFRSF14 is reported in 14.3 %. The combined population patient data cover ages from 23 to 36. 91.7 % of the patient data are identified as men. The Teratoma biology along with reported genetics together define the population represented signature biochemical pathways for this cancer. If the individual cancer tumor genetics or genes contributing to the risk are also known then that should also be used for nutrition personalization.

NUTRITION CHOICES SHOULD MATCH WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL’S CANCER SIGNATURE.

Food and Supplements for Teratoma

For Cancer Patients

Cancer patients on treatment or on palliative care need to make decisions on food and supplements – for the needed dietary calories, for managing any treatment side effects and also for improved cancer management. All plant-based foods are not equal and choosing and prioritizing foods which are personalized and customized to ongoing cancer treatment is important and complicated. Here are some examples providing guidelines for making nutrition decisions.

Choose Vegetable CAULIFLOWER or OSTRICH FERN?

Vegetable Cauliflower contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol, Daidzein. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. Cauliflower is recommended for Teratoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Radiation. This is because Cauliflower modifies those biochemical pathways which have been scientifically reported to sensitize the effect of Radiation.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in vegetable Ostrich Fern are Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and others. Ostrich Fern is not recommended for Teratoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Radiation because it modifies those biochemical pathways which make the cancer treatment resistant or less responsive.

VEGETABLE CAULIFLOWER IS RECOMMENDED OVER OSTRICH FERN FOR Teratoma AND TREATMENT Radiation.

Choose Fruit SOURSOP or PUMMELO?

Fruit Soursop contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Apigenin, Emodin, Lupeol, Formononetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. Soursop is recommended for Teratoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Radiation. This is because Soursop modifies those biochemical pathways which have been scientifically reported to sensitize the effect of Radiation.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in fruit Pummelo are Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Naringin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and others. Pummelo is not recommended for Teratoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Radiation because it modifies those biochemical pathways which make the cancer treatment resistant or less responsive.

FRUIT SOURSOP IS RECOMMENDED OVER PUMMELO FOR Teratoma AND TREATMENT Radiation.

Choose Nut HAZELNUT or MACADAMIA NUT?

Hazelnut contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Apigenin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. Hazelnut is recommended for Teratoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Radiation. This is because Hazelnut modifies those biochemical pathways which have been scientifically reported to sensitize the effect of Radiation.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in Macadamia Nut are Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. Macadamia Nut is not recommended for Teratoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Radiation because it modifies those biochemical pathways which make the cancer treatment resistant or less responsive.

HAZELNUT IS RECOMMENDED OVER MACADAMIA NUT FOR Teratoma AND TREATMENT Radiation.

For Individuals with Genetic Risk of Cancer

The question asked by individuals who have genetic risk of Teratoma or familial history is “What Should I Eat Differently from Before?” and how they should choose foods and supplements to manage risks of the disease. Since for cancer risk there is nothing actionable in terms of treatment – decisions of foods and supplements become important and one of the very few actionable things which can be done. All plant-based foods are not equal and based on identified genetics and pathway signature – the choices of food and supplements should be personalized.

Choose Vegetable WILD CARROT or GLOBE ARTICHOKE?

Vegetable Wild Carrot contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Apigenin, Curcumin, Quercetin, Lupeol, Formononetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like MAPK Signaling, P53 Signaling, Angiogenesis and MYC Signaling and others. Wild Carrot is recommended for risk of Teratoma when associated genetic risk is CD79B. This is because Wild Carrot increases those biochemical pathways which counteract the signature drivers of it.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in vegetable Globe Artichoke are Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Myricetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair and Insulin Signaling and others. Globe Artichoke is not recommended when risk of Teratoma when associated genetic risk is CD79B because it increases the signature pathways of it.

VEGETABLE WILD CARROT IS RECOMMENDED OVER GLOBE ARTICHOKE FOR CD79B GENETIC RISK OF CANCER.

Choose Fruit TAMARIND or GRAPEFRUIT?

Fruit Tamarind contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Linalool. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair, Stem Cell Signaling, P53 Signaling and MAPK Signaling and others. Tamarind is recommended for risk of Teratoma when associated genetic risk is CD79B. This is because Tamarind increases those biochemical pathways which counteract the signature drivers of it.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in fruit Grapefruit are Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Lycopene, Naringin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair and others. Grapefruit is not recommended when risk of Teratoma when associated genetic risk is CD79B because it increases the signature pathways of it.

FRUIT TAMARIND IS RECOMMENDED OVER GRAPEFRUIT FOR CD79B GENETIC RISK OF CANCER.

Choose Nut COMMON HAZELNUT or BEECH NUT?

Common Hazelnut contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Quercetin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Lycopene. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair, P53 Signaling, Inositol Phosphate Signaling and Angiogenesis and others. Common Hazelnut is recommended for risk of Teratoma when associated genetic risk is CD79B. This is because Common Hazelnut increases those biochemical pathways which counteract the signature drivers of it.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in Beech Nut are Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Formononetin, Lycopene. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair and others. Beech Nut is not recommended when risk of Teratoma when associated genetic risk is CD79B because it increases the signature pathways of it.

COMMON HAZELNUT IS RECOMMENDED OVER BEECH NUT FOR CD79B GENETIC RISK OF CANCER.

In Conclusion

Foods and Supplements chosen are important decisions for cancers like Teratoma. Teratoma patients and individuals with genetic-risk always have this question: “What foods and nutritional supplements are recommended for me and which are not?” There is a common belief which is a misconception that all plant-based foods could be beneficial or not but would not be harmful. Certain foods and supplements can interfere with cancer treatments or promote molecular pathway drivers of cancer.

There are different types of cancer indications like Teratoma, each with different tumor genetics with further genomic variations across each individual. Further every cancer treatment and chemotherapy has a unique mechanism of action. Each food like Cauliflower contains various bioactives in different quantities, which have an impact on different and distinct sets of biochemical pathways. The definition of personalized nutrition is individualized food recommendations for the cancer indication, treatments, genetics, lifestyle and other factors. Nutrition personalization decisions for cancer require knowledge of cancer biology, food science and an understanding of different chemotherapy treatments. Finally when there are treatment changes or new genomics is identified – the nutrition personalization needs re-evaluation.

The addon nutrition personalization solution makes the decision making easy and removes all the guesswork in answering the question, “What foods should I choose or not choose for Teratoma?”. The addon multi-disciplinary team includes cancer physicians, clinical scientists, software engineers and data scientists.

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