Key takeaways:
- The median BMI of members in danger for a number of myeloma decreased by practically 7% after 12 weeks of a high-fiber weight-reduction plan.
- The intervention additionally improved high quality of life and a number of other metabolic markers.
ORLANDO — A high-fiber, plant-based dietary intervention and dietary counseling improved a number of danger components for a number of myeloma, a examine introduced on the annual NUTRITION assembly confirmed.
“Our examine reveals the ability of diet within the preventive setting and showcases the potential to offer sufferers a way of company of their analysis,” Urvi A. Shah, MD, a hematologic oncologist and school member within the myeloma division at Memorial Sloan Kettering Most cancers Middle and examine co-author, stated in a press launch.
Within the evaluation — which was a part of the NUTRIVENTION trials — 20 sufferers in danger for growing a number of myeloma as a result of elevated BMI and precursor circumstances obtained 12 weeks of high-fiber, plant-based meals and 24 weeks of individualized dietary counseling. These members have been adopted for 52 weeks.
In accordance with the discharge, members have been inspired to eat to satiety supplied they ate complete plant-based meals like nuts, greens and fruits, and have been additionally suggested to keep away from meals like refined grains, added sugars and animal merchandise.
Whole energy from high-fiber, plant-based meals amongst sufferers rose from 20% to 91% from baseline to 12 weeks.
The median BMI of members additionally dropped by 6.6% by 12 weeks, with this loss sustained at 1 yr.
The discharge stated the intervention was additional linked to enhancements “in dietary high quality, high quality of life, metabolic markers akin to insulin resistance and lipid profiles, irritation, and the variety and composition of the intestine microbiome,” with these sustained at 12 and 52 weeks.
Healio spoke with Francesca Castro, MS, RD, CDN, lead examine writer and medical analysis dietician from Memorial Sloan Kettering Most cancers Middle, to study extra about their findings, how the information ought to affect clinicians’ dietary recommendation and extra.
Healio: What led you to research this?
Castro: Dr. Shah was focused on exploring modifiable danger components for the event of a number of myeloma. Myeloma is one of 13 cancers related to an elevated danger for improvement in sufferers who’re chubby or overweight. Earlier research have instructed that weight-reduction plan high quality and the intestine microbiome could affect illness development, as effectively. Her speculation was that we are able to tilt the size towards improvement of myeloma by addressing modifiable danger components (weight, weight-reduction plan high quality, microbiome). The function of modifiable danger components in development to a number of myeloma has not been studied within the medical trial setting, resulting in the event of our pilot examine and follow-up research.
Healio: What are your ideas on the findings? Had been they stunning or anticipated?
Castro: The findings have been each encouraging and affirming. Based mostly on epidemiologic knowledge, we’ve got seen that extremely processed and inflammatory dietary patterns, wealthy in added sugar and low in fiber, are related to an elevated danger for a number of myeloma; conversely, we’ve got seen that plant-based dietary patterns are related to decreased danger for a number of myeloma. The NUTRIVENTION pilot provides to those knowledge and, to our information, is the primary plant-based dietary intervention on this inhabitants.
One standout was the excessive degree of adherence and acceptability of the intervention from sufferers. With the precise construction and assist, our examine confirmed that sufferers can undertake a high-fiber, plant-based weight-reduction plan and maintain it past only a 12-week structured intervention when meals are supplied. This can be a hopeful takeaway for each clinicians and sufferers.
Healio: What ought to PCPs take away out of your analysis? How ought to they regulate their dietary recommendation?
Castro: From our analysis, PCPs can take away that weight-reduction plan and way of life change can each empower sufferers and probably result in clinically vital outcomes. The takeaway isn’t that suppliers must encourage each affected person to go 100% plant-based however ought to as a substitute encourage sufferers to maneuver towards plant-forward consuming, rising meals teams akin to fruit, greens, beans, lentils, complete grains, nuts and seeds, and using sources from American Institute for Most cancers Analysis (AICR) and U.S. Dietary Pointers for Individuals (DGA).
Sufferers must be inspired to set reasonable objectives which can be individualized to their time and taste preferences, akin to going meatless for Monday dinners and swapping out their meat for beans in pasta sauce or including a chunk of fruit daily at lunch as a substitute of chips. When ready, I’d encourage suppliers to refer sufferers to registered dietitians for individualized assist.
Healio: The place does analysis on the well being results of plant-based diets go from right here?
Castro: We’re presently enrolling members for follow-up trials to guage the potential results of a high-fiber, plant-based weight-reduction plan in bigger teams of sufferers. Enrollment is ongoing for our follow-up trial NUTRIVENTION-3 of 150 sufferers. Sufferers will probably be randomized to obtain a high-fiber, plant-based weight-reduction plan with or with out dietary supplements (curcumin plus omega-3) or placebo. We intention to research the results of weight-reduction plan vs. dietary supplements on the intestine microbiome with the potential to cut back irritation and delay illness development.
Enrollment can be ongoing for our trial NUTRIVENTION-2, which is a decentralized, telehealth-based examine investigating the results of a 2-week intervention of weight-reduction plan or dietary supplements on the intestine microbiome of 100 sufferers.
Later this yr, we may also be opening two extra research for enrollment. NUTRIVENTION-5 will probably be a decentralized 12-week dietary intervention for sufferers with newly recognized a number of myeloma present process remedy. We may also be learning the impact of the high fiber, plant-based weight-reduction plan in different precursor blood circumstances, akin to clonal hematopoiesis — a situation the place stem cells are mutated and improve one’s danger for different blood cancers, akin to leukemia.
Exterior of hematology, there are others exploring plant-based diets results on different cancers and continual circumstances. Moreover, AICR and the DGA emphasize plant-based consuming for decreasing most cancers and continual illness danger and bettering total well being.
Healio: The rest you’d like so as to add or emphasize?
Castro: There’s a fiber hole inside the US, with many Individuals not assembly the advisable pointers. As we study extra about fiber, microbiome and their influence on many alternative well being circumstances, it’s now extra essential than ever to focus on the significance of dietary high quality and striving to fulfill suggestions. Our outcomes spotlight the significance of improved dietary high quality in early illness states and supply steering for future medical trials, in addition to proof analyzing weight-reduction plan as a preventive technique within the oncology setting and past.
References:
- Castro F, et al. Summary OR16-02-25. Offered at: NUTRITION; Could 31-June 3, 2025; Orlando.
- Preventing myeloma with fiber: Plant-based weight-reduction plan gives promise. Accessible at: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1084798. Printed June 2, 2025. Accessed June 2, 2025.
For extra data:
Francesca Castro, MS, RD, CDN, may be reached at primarycare@healio.com.
