Nutrition and cancer

Summary

The Nutrition and Cancer Unit reserach group comprises a multidisciplinary team of epidemiologists, nutritionists, biologists, and statisticians. We focus primarily on aetiological research into the relationship between nutrition and cancer. This includes diet and dietary patterns, body composition and physical activity as possible determinants of cancer, as well as genetic susceptibility in human carcinogenesis. We also research the role of nutritional factors in the prognosis of cancer patients and survivors. To achieve this, we combine traditional epidemiological approaches with more innovative tools including exposure and susceptibility biomarkers.

931 Publications

Strategic lines

Gastric cancer: molecular and genetic epidemiology and carcinogenic mechanisms
Study of genetic risk factors and genomic determinants of gastric cancer and its precursor lesions, as well as molecular classification of gastric cancer related to prognosis and treatment and earlier diagnosis.

Nutrition, body composition and physical activity in cancer patients and survivors
Clinical research into the potential role of dietary and exercise interventions in prognosis and quality of life for breast cancer patients, as well as the role of obesity and body composition in the survival of obesity-related cancers.

Nutritional epidemiology, cancer and other chronic diseases
Study of the role of dietary patterns and dietary components (including potential carcinogens) in the aetiology of several tumour sites: e chrono-nutrition, dietary patterns, meat and meat-related products, body iron status, inflammatory potential of diet.

Polyphenol exposure and cancer
The relationships between polyphenol and polyphenol-rich foods and the risk of cancer (incidence and prognosis) and related diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Improving dietary assessment of polyphenol exposure.

Hormonal and molecular factors associated with endometrial and ovarian cancers
Molecular pathways and susceptibility associated with hormone-related cancers, as well as the potential interactions of these with hormonal and environmental factors, to explain the risk of the disease.

Selected Publications

Kliemann,N;Rauber,F;Bertazzi Levy,R;Viallon,V;Vamos,EP;Cordova,R;Freisling,H et al, Food processing and cancer risk in Europe: results from the prospective EPIC cohort study., Lancet Planet. Health, 2023;7(3):219-232, doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00021-9
Sobiecki,JGD;Imamura,F;Davis,CR;Sharp,SJ;Koulman,A;Hodgson,JM;Guevara,M et al, A nutritional biomarker score of the Mediterranean diet and incident type 2 diabetes: Integrated analysis of data from the MedLey randomised controlled trial and the EPIC-InterAct case-cohort study, PLos Med., 2023;20(4):doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1004221
Almanza Aguilera,E;Cano,A;Gil Lespinard,M;Burguera,N;Zamora Ros,R;Agudo,A; Farras,M, Mediterranean diet and olive oil, microbiota, and obesity-related cancers. From mechanisms to prevention, Semin. Cancer Biol., 2023;95103-119, doi:10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.08.001
Vilor Tejedor,N;Genius,P;Rodríguez Fernández,B;Minguillón,C;Sadeghi,I;González Escalante,A;Crous Bou,M et al, Genetic characterization of the ALFA study: Uncovering genetic profiles in the Alzheimer's continuum., Alzheimers. Dement., 2023;20(3):1703-1715, doi:10.1002/alz.13537
Bonet,C;Crous Bou,M;Tsilidis,KK;Gunter,MJ;Kaaks,R;Schulze,MB;Fortner,RT et al, The association between body fatness and mortality among breast cancer survivors: results from a prospective cohort study., Eur. J. Epidemiol., 2023;38(5):545-557, doi:10.1007/s10654-023-00979-5

Selected Projects

MCI23015. Avances en la estimación de la exposición de (poli)fenoles y su asociación con el riesgo de enfermedad de Alzheimer en la cohort EPICSpain Dementia. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN). Budget: 199.998,62€. 2024-2026. PI: ZAMORA ROS, RAUL.
AEC22036. The influence of dietary patterns and physical activity in endometrial cancer: an opportunity for obesity-related cancer prevention. Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC). Budget: 144.485,19€. 2023-2026. PI: CROUS BOU, MARTA.
FIS21049. Impacto de la pandemia por Covid-19 en los estilos de vida relacionados con la salud y en la calidad de vida en la población mayor de 60 años en España. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). Budget: 139.755€. 2022-2024. PI: Agudo Trigueros, Antonio.
FIS22051. Asociaciones entre la funcionalidad de la HDL, los compuestos fenólicos del aceite de oliva y el riesgo de cáncer de mama. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). Budget: 135.520€. 2023-2025. PI: ZAMORA ROS, RAUL.
AEC21012. The role of lifestyle factors on breast cancer prognosis: – combining epidemiological, clinical and translational evidence. Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC). Budget: 134.207,76€. 2021-2024. PI: Agudo Trigueros, Antonio.

More Information

Proyectos financiados por el Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) y cofinanciados por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER):

Prevención de las recidivas mediante ejercicio, dieta y control de peso en pacientes con cáncer de aama (PREDICOP)

PI15/00646. 01/2016-12/2018. 96.500 €. IP: Antonio Agudo Trigueros.

Evaluar si una intervención basada en la dieta y la actividad física mejora el pronóstico de las mujeres con cáncer de mama no metastático. Evaluar la posible mejora de la supervivencia global y la supervivencia libre de enfermedad. Ánalisis del efecto sobre la calidad de vida y biomarcadores relacionados con el pronóstico.