Vegetarian Diet: There are many people around the world who follow a vegetarian diet. The good thing for such people is that their risk of liver cancer can be significantly reduced.
Liver Cancer Risk: According to a study, eating vegetables can help reduce the risk of liver cancer by up to 65 percent. The study, led by researchers at INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, focused on patients suffering from cirrhosis - which is scarring (fibrosis) of the liver due to long-term liver damage.
They examined the benefits of eating vegetables and/or fruits in these patients. Of the 179 patients analyzed, 20 were diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). The team found that a total of 42.5 percent of patients with cirrhosis had inadequate intake of fruits and/or vegetables. "Patients with cirrhosis who consumed more than 240 grams of vegetables daily had a 65 percent reduction in the incidence (new cases) of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)," the researchers said.
"Although the researchers found no association between fruit intake and hepatocellular carcinoma," they noted in the paper published in the journal JHEP Reports. The team said the association between fruit and vegetable intake and HCC risk is less documented in the population of cirrhotic patients. However, "such knowledge is important for adapting HCC prevention messages."
Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world, particularly represented by HCC, which accounts for approximately 85-90% of all cases. HCC occurs when a tumor grows on the liver. HCC occurs most often in people who have chronic liver disease, especially those with cirrhosis or fibrosis, which are conditions of chronic liver injury and inflammation.
The main causes of underlying chronic liver disease are alcohol and viral hepatitis, while other causes include overweight and obesity, and consumption of foods contaminated with aflatoxins (i.e., toxins produced by mold). The researchers called for larger studies to "assess the benefits of fruit on HCC risk" and provide evidence to promote fruit and vegetable intake in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Disclaimer: Dear reader, thank you for reading this news. This news has been written only to make you aware. We have taken the help of home remedies and general information in writing this. If you read anything related to your health anywhere, then definitely consult a doctor before adopting it.
