Over the break, I’m taking a course on cancer and diet. We’ve been reviewing literature on the protective and detrimental effects observed with certain foods in relation to various types of cancer.

Yesterday we discussed a paper that showed a small positive association between fruits and vegetables and reduced cancer risk. The main question I had, mostly because I was curious to know what an RD would say, was how to know when to make recommendations to a patient based on evidence.

My professor said that the development of cancer is multifaceted, and that even if diet plays a small role, it’s still important. Not only is the direct impact of nutrition and diet on cancer worth studying, it’s also crucial to consider the interaction of various nutrients and other factors in our environment.

I thought that was a great way to put it. In my humble opinion, why not improve your chances of preventing cancer incidence, progression or mortality if you can? Even if it’s by, say, five percent, it still counts.