Men with prostate cancer who follow a low-fat vegetarian diet benefit from increased quality of life and slowed PSA doubling time, according to a recent study published in Urology. PSA doubling time is the amount of time it takes for levels of prostate-specific antigen, a biological marker for prostate cancer, to increase by 100%.

The study focused on 36 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, had undergone primary treatment for more than six months, and had continuous increases of PSA levels. The men were assigned to attend vegetarian nutrition and cooking class or to a control group. those in the vegetarian intervention group consumed significantly less saturated fat, more vegetable protein, and less animal protein, including fewer dairy products. The mean PSA doubling time at the three-month follow-up was substantially longer for the intervention group compared with that of the control group, meaning that the diet slowed cancer growth.

GOOD MEDICNE Magazine, Spring 2009, The Cancer Project