Nutrition and Renal Cell Carcinoma: Dietary Strategies for Kidney Cancer

Renal cell carcinoma is a cancer that forms in the small tubes of the kidneys. Doctors believe a poor diet may help the disease develop, and that changes in diet can go hand-in-hand with traditional cancer treatments.

Diet As A Contributing Factor

• The Mayo Clinic reports that diet-related problems such as obesity and high blood pressure increase risk of renal cell cancer. High consumption of bread, rice and pasta may also increase the risk, according to a 2006 study in the International Journal of Cancer.

Diet As Prevention

• The Mayo Clinic recommends a diet that promotes healthy weight and blood pressure--namely, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Traditional Treatments

• Surgery is the most common treatment for kidney cancer, but doctors may also try radiation or embolization (cutting off the flow of blood to the tumor).

Diet As Treatment

• The A.P. John Institute For Cancer Research supports Controlled Amino Acid Therapy, which eliminates amino-acid rich foods from the diet for a short time. The therapy aims to deprive the tumor of nutrients that promote growth.

Diet And Traditional Treatment

• Controlled Amino Acid Therapy is meant to complement, not replace, traditional therapy, according to the A.P. John Institute For Cancer Research.