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What Foods are Recommended for Cancer?
is a very common question. Personalized Nutrition Plans are foods and supplements which are personalized to a cancer indication, genes, any treatments and lifestyle conditions.

Foods for Sarcoma!

Jul 29, 2023

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Introduction

Foods for Sarcoma 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.

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare form of cancer that affects tissues of the smooth muscles (leiomyosarcoma), tendons, fat (liposarcoma), lymph and blood vessels, and nerves. Nearly all sarcomas in adults develops in arms and legs, chest and stomach. Early diagnosis and treatment increases the likelihood of longer-term survival. 5-year survival for adults with sarcoma is approximately 65% and the survival rate increases to 81% for people whose cancer is diagnosed and treated before it spreads. Men are slightly more likely than women to develop soft tissue sarcoma. Treatment options for sarcoma include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies, supported by the right nutrition (foods and natural supplements) aligned with the treatment context.



For Sarcoma 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 Sarcoma 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 Sarcoma?

For example does it matter if vegetable New Zealand Spinach is consumed more compared to Spinach? Does it make any difference if fruit Black Elderberry is preferred over French Plantain? Also if similar choices are made for nuts/seeds like Butternut over Chestnut and for pulses like Gram Bean over Catjang Pea. And if what I eat matters – then how does one identify foods which are recommended for Sarcoma and is it the same answer for everyone with the same diagnosis or genetic risk?

Yes! Foods you eat matters for Sarcoma!

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

All cancers like Sarcoma can be characterized by a unique set of biochemical pathways - the signature pathways of Sarcoma. Biochemical pathways like Oncogenic Cancer Epigenetics, MAPK Signaling, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling, Cell Cycle are part of the signature definition of Sarcoma.

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 Black Elderberry contains active ingredients Curcumin, Apigenin, Lycopene, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. And French Plantain contains active ingredients Curcumin, Apigenin, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol, Quercetin and possibly others.

A common mistake made when deciding and choosing foods to eat for Sarcoma – 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 Sarcoma.

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

Skills Needed for Nutrition Personalization for Sarcoma?

Personalized nutrition for cancers like Sarcoma 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 Sarcoma 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.

Foods to Eat After Cancer Diagnosis!

No two cancers are the same. Go beyond the common nutrition guidelines for everyone and make personalized decisions about food and supplements with confidence.

Characteristics of cancers like Sarcoma

All cancers like Sarcoma can be characterized by a unique set of biochemical pathways – the signature pathways of Sarcoma. Biochemical pathways like Oncogenic Cancer Epigenetics, MAPK Signaling, PI3K-AKT-MTOR Signaling, Cell Cycle are part of the signature definition of Sarcoma. Each individual’s cancer genetics can be different and hence their specific cancer signature could be unique.

The treatments which are effective for Sarcoma 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 Sarcoma when taking cancer treatment Doxorubicin, 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.

TP53, PDGFRB, PIK3R1, PI4KA and ERCC2 are the top ranked reported genes for Sarcoma. TP53 is reported in 5.5 % of the representative patients across all clinical trials. And PDGFRB is reported in 2.8 %. The combined population patient data cover ages from 7 to 61. 47.3 % of the patient data are identified as men. The Sarcoma 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.

Foods for Sarcoma!

Food and Supplements for Sarcoma

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 NEW ZEALAND SPINACH or SPINACH?

Vegetable New Zealand Spinach contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Apigenin, Lycopene, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair, Inflammation, MAPK Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. New Zealand Spinach is recommended for Sarcoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Doxorubicin. This is because New Zealand Spinach modifies those biochemical pathways which have been scientifically reported to sensitize the effect of Doxorubicin.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in vegetable Spinach are Curcumin, Apigenin, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol, Quercetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Heat Stress Response and Oxidative Stress and others. Spinach is not recommended for Sarcoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Doxorubicin because it modifies those biochemical pathways which make the cancer treatment resistant or less responsive.

VEGETABLE NEW ZEALAND SPINACH IS RECOMMENDED OVER SPINACH FOR Sarcoma AND TREATMENT Doxorubicin.

Choose Fruit FRENCH PLANTAIN or BLACK ELDERBERRY?

Fruit French Plantain contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Apigenin, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol, Quercetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair, Inflammation, MAPK Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. French Plantain is recommended for Sarcoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Doxorubicin. This is because French Plantain modifies those biochemical pathways which have been scientifically reported to sensitize the effect of Doxorubicin.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in fruit Black Elderberry are Curcumin, Apigenin, Lycopene, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Oxidative Stress and Oncogenic Cancer Epigenetics and others. Black Elderberry is not recommended for Sarcoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Doxorubicin because it modifies those biochemical pathways which make the cancer treatment resistant or less responsive.

FRUIT FRENCH PLANTAIN IS RECOMMENDED OVER BLACK ELDERBERRY FOR Sarcoma AND TREATMENT Doxorubicin.

Choose Nut BUTTERNUT or CHESTNUT?

Butternut contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Apigenin, Lycopene, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair, Inflammation, MAPK Signaling and MYC Signaling and others. Butternut is recommended for Sarcoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Doxorubicin. This is because Butternut modifies those biochemical pathways which have been scientifically reported to sensitize the effect of Doxorubicin.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in Chestnut are Curcumin, Apigenin, Lycopene, Formononetin, Beta-sitosterol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition, WNT Beta Catenin Signaling and Oxidative Stress and others. Chestnut is not recommended for Sarcoma when ongoing cancer treatment is Doxorubicin because it modifies those biochemical pathways which make the cancer treatment resistant or less responsive.

BUTTERNUT IS RECOMMENDED OVER CHESTNUT FOR Sarcoma AND TREATMENT Doxorubicin.

For Individuals with Genetic Risk of Cancer

The question asked by individuals who have genetic risk of Sarcoma 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 GIANT BUTTERBUR or GARLAND CHRYSANTHEMUM?

Vegetable Giant Butterbur contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Apigenin, Curcumin, Lycopene, Lupeol, Daidzein. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Cell Cycle, Stem Cell Signaling, P53 Signaling and MAPK Signaling and others. Giant Butterbur is recommended for risk of Sarcoma when associated genetic risk is ERCC2. This is because Giant Butterbur increases those biochemical pathways which counteract the signature drivers of it.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in vegetable Garland Chrysanthemum are Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Daidzein, Formononetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Stem Cell Signaling and MAPK Signaling and others. Garland Chrysanthemum is not recommended when risk of Sarcoma when associated genetic risk is ERCC2 because it increases the signature pathways of it.

VEGETABLE GIANT BUTTERBUR IS RECOMMENDED OVER GARLAND CHRYSANTHEMUM FOR ERCC2 GENETIC RISK OF CANCER.

Choose Fruit NANCE or PUMMELO?

Fruit Nance contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Apigenin, Curcumin, Lupeol, Daidzein, Formononetin. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Cell Cycle, Stem Cell Signaling, P53 Signaling and MAPK Signaling and others. Nance is recommended for risk of Sarcoma when associated genetic risk is ERCC2. This is because Nance increases those biochemical pathways which counteract the signature drivers of it.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in fruit Pummelo are Apigenin, Curcumin, Quercetin, Lycopene, Lupeol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair and Cell Cycle Checkpoints and others. Pummelo is not recommended when risk of Sarcoma when associated genetic risk is ERCC2 because it increases the signature pathways of it.

FRUIT NANCE IS RECOMMENDED OVER PUMMELO FOR ERCC2 GENETIC RISK OF CANCER.

Choose Nut COMMON HAZELNUT or EUROPEAN CHESTNUT?

Common Hazelnut contains many active ingredients or bioactives such as Curcumin, Quercetin, Lycopene, Lupeol, Daidzein. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like Cell Cycle, MAPK Signaling, P53 Signaling and Angiogenesis and others. Common Hazelnut is recommended for risk of Sarcoma when associated genetic risk is ERCC2. This is because Common Hazelnut increases those biochemical pathways which counteract the signature drivers of it.

Some of the active ingredients or bioactives in European Chestnut are Apigenin, Ellagic Acid, Curcumin, Quercetin, Lupeol. These active ingredients manipulate various biochemical pathways like DNA Repair and Stem Cell Signaling and others. European Chestnut is not recommended when risk of Sarcoma when associated genetic risk is ERCC2 because it increases the signature pathways of it.

COMMON HAZELNUT IS RECOMMENDED OVER EUROPEAN CHESTNUT FOR ERCC2 GENETIC RISK OF CANCER.


In Conclusion

Foods and Supplements chosen are important decisions for cancers like Sarcoma. Sarcoma 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 Sarcoma, 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 New Zealand Spinach 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 Sarcoma?”. The addon multi-disciplinary team includes cancer physicians, clinical scientists, software engineers and data scientists.


Personalized Nutrition for Cancer!

Cancer changes with time. Customize and modify your nutrition based on cancer indication, treatments, lifestyle, food preferences, allergies and other factors.

References

Scientifically Reviewed by: Dr. Cogle

Christopher R. Cogle, M.D. is a tenured professor at the University of Florida, Chief Medical Officer of Florida Medicaid, and Director of the Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service.

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