Expert Q & A:
Fact vs. Fiction
What a cancer and nutrition researcher says about the picture in Hawaii.
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Good nutrition is important if you have cancer — and it may be even more important to help you avoid it. Dr. Suzanne Murphy of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH) gives an overview of cancer and nutrition in Hawaii.
Dr. Murphy: That there is a “magic bullet” — something you can eat or drink or take as a pill — that will dramatically decrease your risk of cancer. Americans spent $7 billion on vitamin and mineral supplements in 2005, but there’s almost no evidence that these supplements offer protection against cancer. Actually, it appears that very high doses may even increase cancer risk. Likewise, there is no “perfect” food that will protect us from cancer — there are only healthy diets that can reduce the risk of cancer.
Dr. Murphy: There are so many healthy local fruits and vegetables that it’s hard to list them all. Traditional Hawaiian foods such as taro and poi are healthy and nutritious. Whole grains such as brown rice seem to reduce the risk of some cancers. Switch to brown rice or try hapa rice — that’s half white and half brown. Edamame or green soy beans are another local favorite that provides many different nutrients.
Dr. Murphy: Some of the research at CRCH shows that eating overcooked meats can be risk factors for cancer, and some of our local meats are cooked this way. Likewise, processed meats, including luncheon meats, sausage, hot dogs and bacon, seem to increase risk. You can decrease your risk by eating less meat and choosing meats that are steamed rather than fried or barbecued.
Plate lunches in Hawaii are about half meat and half processed grains like white rice and macaroni salad. The American Institute for Cancer Research has proposed “The New American Plate” that is one-third or less animal protein and two-thirds or more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.
In Hawaii, we also like kim chee and other salted preserved vegetables, but there is probably a link between stomach cancer and eating highly salted foods. International recommendations say to limit consumption of salt, especially processed foods with added salt.
Dr. Murphy: It often is different. For example, breast cancer is much higher in Native Hawaiian women than Filipino women, and lung cancer is also higher in Hawaiians than in other ethnic groups. Colorectal cancer is highest in Japanese-Americans, while prostate cancer is highest in Caucasian men. Melanoma is about three times higher in Caucasians than in any other ethnic group.
Dr. Murphy: Among men the most common cancers are prostate, lung and colorectal. In terms of mortality, the order is different: lung, colorectal and prostate.
For women in Hawaii, it’s breast, lung and colorectal. For mortality, the top three are lung, breast and colorectal.
For both men and women, the death rate from lung cancer is more than the next two cancers combined.
Dr. Murphy: In general, incidence is rising but mortality is falling; that’s probably due to earlier detection and better treatments. For almost all cancers, both the incidence and the mortality are lower in Hawaii than on the Mainland.
I don’t pay a lot of attention to incidence rates, because incidence can go up if there is better screening, and that can be a good thing. Because cancer treatments are constantly improving, it’s important to find it as early as possible.
AL: What’s the most common misconception about cancer and nutrition?
Dr. Murphy: That there is a “magic bullet” — something you can eat or drink or take as a pill — that will dramatically decrease your risk of cancer. Americans spent $7 billion on vitamin and mineral supplements in 2005, but there’s almost no evidence that these supplements offer protection against cancer. Actually, it appears that very high doses may even increase cancer risk. Likewise, there is no “perfect” food that will protect us from cancer — there are only healthy diets that can reduce the risk of cancer.
AL: What local foods are really healthy?
Dr. Murphy: There are so many healthy local fruits and vegetables that it’s hard to list them all. Traditional Hawaiian foods such as taro and poi are healthy and nutritious. Whole grains such as brown rice seem to reduce the risk of some cancers. Switch to brown rice or try hapa rice — that’s half white and half brown. Edamame or green soy beans are another local favorite that provides many different nutrients.
AL: What local foods are especially bad for cancer?
Dr. Murphy: Some of the research at CRCH shows that eating overcooked meats can be risk factors for cancer, and some of our local meats are cooked this way. Likewise, processed meats, including luncheon meats, sausage, hot dogs and bacon, seem to increase risk. You can decrease your risk by eating less meat and choosing meats that are steamed rather than fried or barbecued.
Plate lunches in Hawaii are about half meat and half processed grains like white rice and macaroni salad. The American Institute for Cancer Research has proposed “The New American Plate” that is one-third or less animal protein and two-thirds or more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.
In Hawaii, we also like kim chee and other salted preserved vegetables, but there is probably a link between stomach cancer and eating highly salted foods. International recommendations say to limit consumption of salt, especially processed foods with added salt.
AL: Does cancer vary by ethnic group in Hawaii?
Dr. Murphy: It often is different. For example, breast cancer is much higher in Native Hawaiian women than Filipino women, and lung cancer is also higher in Hawaiians than in other ethnic groups. Colorectal cancer is highest in Japanese-Americans, while prostate cancer is highest in Caucasian men. Melanoma is about three times higher in Caucasians than in any other ethnic group.
AL: What are the top cancers in Hawaii?
Dr. Murphy: Among men the most common cancers are prostate, lung and colorectal. In terms of mortality, the order is different: lung, colorectal and prostate.
For women in Hawaii, it’s breast, lung and colorectal. For mortality, the top three are lung, breast and colorectal.
For both men and women, the death rate from lung cancer is more than the next two cancers combined.
AL: How does Hawaii score on a cancer report card?
Dr. Murphy: In general, incidence is rising but mortality is falling; that’s probably due to earlier detection and better treatments. For almost all cancers, both the incidence and the mortality are lower in Hawaii than on the Mainland.
I don’t pay a lot of attention to incidence rates, because incidence can go up if there is better screening, and that can be a good thing. Because cancer treatments are constantly improving, it’s important to find it as early as possible.
