• Resources
• Specific Cancers
• Success stories

There is good evidence that a whole foods plant based diet will reduce the incidence and slow the progression of the most common cancers, including: bowel, breast and prostate cancers. Increased vegetable intake has also been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer and lung cancer. This knowledge is intended to help you prevent the growth of cancer and should in no way be used as an explanation as to why you, or anyone else developed cancer. We do not recommend that a plant based diet replace conventional treatment, rather it should be used alongside conventional treatment.

Besides anecdotal reports of individual cancer remissions, there is evidence that lifestyle changes can slow the progression of cancer and increase survival rates. Dr Dean Ornish (2005) showed that intensive lifestyle intervention, including a plant based diet, controlled the progression of low-grade prostate cancer. Dr Michael Greger discusses the study in this video: Cancer Reversal Through Diet? Survival following treatment for breast cancer has been well studied. Higher intakes of saturated fats from animal products are associated with reduced survival whereas high fibre intakes from plant foods are protective.

Animal protein is the elephant in the room in relation to diet and cancer. The evidence linking animal protein to cancer does not sit comfortably with our long-standing paradigm that places high protein meat and dairy foods at the centre of our diet. Dr T. Colin Campbell has been a world-renowned researcher in this area for over forty years.  He describes milk protein, casein as the most relevant chemical carcinogen ever identified. See his talk Animal Protein — Meat and Dairy — Cause Cancer  (45 mins):

There is a wealth of resources regarding the links between diet and cancer. We have tried to select some of the best and most significant but the list is by no means complete.

Resources

Books

• Barnard, N. D., & Reilly, J. K. (2008). The cancer survivor’s guide: foods that help you fight back. Summertown, TN: Healthy Living Publications. (PDF version)
• Campbell, T. C., & Jacobson, H. (2013). Whole: rethinking the science of nutrition, Benbella Books (pbk edn released May 2014)
• Campbell, T. M., & Campbell, T. C. (2005). The China study: the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and the startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health. Dallas, Tex: BenBella Books.
• Funk, K. (2018). Breasts: the owner’s manual :every woman’s guide to reducing cancer risk, making treatment choices, and optimizing outcomes. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson.

Videos

• Cancer Survivor Gives 5 Favorite Cancer Fighting Foods – (40 min.) *NEW* Lauren Kretzer on The Exam Room Podcast. Also available on the Exam Room Podcast
• Dietary Treatment of Cancer – (2 1/2 min) Dr John McDougall
• Diet in the Prevention and Treatment of Common Cancers – Dr John McDougall, presentation at the September 2015 Advanced Study Weekend
• Up The Wrong Butt, Colonoscopy – Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Prevention – Dr John McDougall presentation at the September 2016 Advanced Study Weekend (36 min.)
• Animal Protein — Meat and Dairy — Cause Cancer – (45 min.) T. Colin Campbell
• Slowing the Growth of Cancer (6 min. video) – Dr Michael Greger. Researchers discovered a dietary intervention that may slow the progression of cancer.
• Dr. John McDougall Discusses Cancer, Webinar 09/15/16 – (1hr 6min video)

Web resources

• Diet and Cancer – PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine). Includes links to facts about nutrition and cancer and research into different cancer types
• Research Shows That a Healthy Diet Will Slow or Stop Most Cancers – John McDougall, MD.
• Cancer and Diet: Here’s What You Should Know – Dana Hudepohl (2021)
• World Cancer Research Fund Global Network, & American Institute for Cancer Research. (2018). Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: a Global Perspective (Third Expert Report) Washington, DC: AICR.
• Cancer: Is It Just Bad Luck or Failed Research? – T. Colin Campbell, PhD (2015)
• Are We Eating Too Much Protein? A Scientist Makes the Connection Between Protein and Cancer – (2014) blog post discussing Dr T Colin Campbell’s findings linking animal protein and cancer
• Cancer-Proofing Your Body (blog post) – Dr Michael Greger and this link How Do Plant-Based Diets Fight Cancer?
• A Cure For Cancer? Eating A Plant-Based Diet – Kathy Freston interviews T Colin Campbell
• Meat Consumption and Cancer Risk – PCRM. Provides evidence of the association between meat and cancer

Peer-reviewed articles

• Barnard, R. J., Gonzalez, J. H., Liva, M. E., & Ngo, T. H. (2006). Effects of a low-fat, high-fiber diet and exercise program on breast cancer risk factors in vivo and tumor cell growth and apoptosis in vitro. Nutrition and Cancer, 55(1), 28-34.
• Bodai, B. I., & Tuso, P. (2015). Breast cancer survivorship: a comprehensive review of long-term medical issues and lifestyle recommendations. Permanente Journal, 19(2), 48-79.
• Ornish, D., Weidner, G., Fair, W. R., . . .  Carroll, PR (2005), Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer, Journal of Urology, vol. 174, no. 3, pp. 1065-9; discussion 9-70. **RCT**
• Ornish, D., Lin, J., Chan, J. M., . . . Blackburn, E. H. (2013). Effect of comprehensive lifestyle changes on telomerase activity and telomere length in men with biopsy-proven low-risk prostate cancer: 5-year follow-up of a descriptive pilot study. The Lancet Oncology, 14(11), 1112-1120.
• Tantamango-Bartley, Y., Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Fan, J., & Fraser, G. (2013). Vegetarian Diets and the Incidence of Cancer in a Low-risk Population. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 22(2), 286-294. (open access)
• Zheng, J., Zhou, Y., Li, Y., Xu, D. P., Li, S., & Li, H. B. (2016). Spices for Prevention and Treatment of Cancers. Nutrients, 8(8).

Alcohol

• Alcohol and cancer: the verdict
• Even Modest Drinking Increases Breast Cancer Risk – PCRM
• See our FAQ What about Alcohol?

Specific cancers

• Breast Cancer
• Colon Cancer (under construction)
• Prostate Cancer (under construction)

Success stories