Lymphoma: Nutritional Considerations

Only a limited number of research studies have addressed associations between diet and risk for lymphoma. The following factors have been under study for possible roles in reducing risk:

Reducing or avoiding intake of animal products. Compared with individuals who eat beef, pork, or lamb less than once per week, those who eat these foods daily had more than twice the risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma.¹ Intake of foods high in saturated fat, particularly hamburger and other red meats, was also associated with roughly twice the risk for this cancer.² Lymphoma risk associated with milk intake is 1.5 times greater for persons who drink the most milk than for those who drink the least.³ Individuals who drink > 2 glasses of milk per day have 3 times the lymphoma risk of those who drink less than 1 glass per day.⁴

Reducing intake of fats, particularly trans fats. The evidence linking fat intake by itself to lymphoma is not as strong as that linking saturated fat to the disease. Nevertheless, a high intake of transfatty acids is associated with 2.4 times the risk for lymphoma in persons eating the greatest amount of these fats, compared with those who eat the least.¹ Individuals eating the highest amount of total fat have a 28% higher risk for lymphoma than those eating the least.⁵

Increasing intake of fruits and vegetables. Compared with women eating 3 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, those who ate 6 or more servings per day had a 40% lower risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma.⁶ Cruciferous vegetables may be particularly protective: women consuming them 2 or more times a week had a 30% lower risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma, compared with women who ate these vegetables less than twice per month.⁷

A high–fiber diet. Individuals consuming the largest amount of whole grains or dietary fiber from fruits and vegetables had roughly half the risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma, compared with those eating the least amount from these food categories.^6–8

A gluten–free diet for individuals with celiac disease. Patients with celiac disease have a higher risk for several types of cancer, and their risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma is 9 times that of the general population. The risk for cancer overall is reduced considerably with a gluten–free diet. However, the risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma in these patients is still 6 times that of the general population.⁹ Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, a condition often experienced by individuals with celiac disease, also more frequently develop lymphomas of both the B–cell and T–cell variety, although this risk is reduced by following a gluten–free diet.¹⁰

Maintenance of a healthy weight. Studies suggest that being significantly overweight may increase the risk for non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The risk for lymphoma associated with obesity has ranged from 1.5 times greater in persons with a body mass index (BMI) of >30 kg/m2, to 2 times greater in those with a BMI of >35 kg/m2, compared with individuals having a BMI of <25 kg/m2.^11,12

Orders

See Basic Diet Orders.

What to Tell the Family

Lymphoma is a complex group of over 40 diseases. The treatment plan and prognosis vary widely among the different types. In general, lymphomas are highly treatable, and over 50% of individuals survive non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma beyond 5 years. Family members can support the patient by following a similar healthy diet.