GUT bacteria convert some food molecules into metabolites that have strong associations with the development of aggressive prostate cancer.
Men with higher levels of these metabolites have a greater risk of lethal prostate cancer.
These molecules may be useful as early biomarkers of the disease.
By modifying diet and lifestyle, men may be able to reduce their risk of lethal prostate cancer.
A study has shown that there may be an association between diet, the gut microbiomeTrusted Source, and lethal prostate cancer.
The study, from the Cleveland Clinic, appears in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Researchers used data from the PLCO cancer screening trialTrusted Source, a randomized control trial of 148,000 people.
It involved screening 76,685 men aged between 55 and 74 for prostate cancer and then monitoring them for up to 13 years.
Researchers analyzed baseline levels of certain dietary nutrients and metabolites from nearly 700 men. Of these, 173 later died of prostate cancer.
The median time between baseline sampling and death for those who developed lethal prostate cancer was 11.69 years.
“Men with higher levels of certain diet-related molecules are more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer.”
The researchers matched those who died for age, race, time of blood sample, and enrolment date with controls in a ratio of 1:3.
Of the 519 men in the control sample, 83.6% remained healthy, and 16.4% had a subsequent non-lethal prostate cancer diagnosis during the study period.
On enrolling in the PLCO cancer screening trial, all participants gave blood samples. Researchers analyzed the blood serum for several different metabolitesTrusted Source, some of which are formed by gut bacteria from food intake. They compared results from men who later died of prostate cancer with controls.
The researchers found associations between more aggressive prostate cancer and three metabolites – phenylacetylglutamine, choline, and betaine.
Phenylacetylglutamine is produced when gut bacteria break down phenylalanine, an essential amino acid. Choline and betaine are in some foods, as well as being formed by gut bacteria.
Phenylalanine is in high protein foods, such as dairy, meat, poultry, soy, fish, beans, nuts, and diet sodas sweetened with aspartame.
