She survived breast cancer: Doctor advises all patients not to eat a fruit

Merkur She survived breast cancer: Doctor advises all patients not to eat a fruit Diana Serbe • 1 week • 3 minutes reading time Interactions possible There are numerous tips on how to prevent or cure breast cancer on the Internet. One affected person is now giving advice that relates to diet. London - Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. But men are also affected. Certain risk factors are known, but people who pay attention to their lifestyle habits also seem to get the disease. A patient with multiple illnesses, who is herself a doctor, is now making a type of fruit the topic. Breast cancer: One in eight women in Germany is affected - does a certain diet help? If detected early, breast cancer has a good chance of being cured, according to the German Cancer Society. According to their information, one in eight women in Germany currently develops it during their lifetime. The risk of this type of breast cancer is highest between the ages of 50 and 70. No one can predict who will be affected and when. However, genetics and lifestyle are said to play a role. Experts agree that healthy habits - especially a balanced diet, exercise and not smoking - can help in prevention. Opinions differ on what exactly should be eaten. "Superfoods" are repeatedly said to protect the body from disease. Fruit and vegetables with their secondary plant substances usually play a role in this. A breast cancer patient from Great Britain now says which fruit she would advise against. In the country, the topic shocked the people in 2024, because the royal family was also affected twice. First, cancer cells were discovered in King Charles III (76). Then his daughter-in-law also announced that she was suffering from cancer, but: Princess Kate (42) announced a few days ago that she was cancer-free after surviving chemotherapy. Breast cancer patient and doctor advises: It is better not to eat this type of fruit Liz O'Riordan (50) from Great Britain has suffered from breast cancer three times herself. The curious thing is that the woman is a cancer surgeon herself and knows a lot about the subject. After her first diagnosis in 2015, she had two relapses that required her breast to be removed and chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She survived and told her story to the US magazine Newsweek. Because patients often ask her for tips, she wants to clear up misinformation. She was particularly shocked by the numerous unsubstantiated pieces of advice on how to deal with cancer nutrition that are circulating online. "There is no magic cancer diet," the doctor explains. She is often asked what she recommends for a cure in terms of nutrition. Based on her knowledge, which is based on information from the British National Cancer Institute, she is certain: "There is no magic dietary supplement" - and if there were one, oncologists would recommend it, the 50-year-old told Newsweek. But she has one piece of advice above all: that "there is nothing you should or should not eat unless it interferes with the medication you are taking." When taking medication, she would only avoid one type of fruit: grapefruit. Fruit and vegetables are healthy. However, a doctor advises against eating one type of fruit during cancer treatment. Complications with medication: The Cancer Information Service also advises against eating grapefruit during treatment The Cancer Information Service also points out that grapefruit affects the enzyme CYP3A4, which is responsible for the metabolism of many drugs. They either cause the level of the active ingredient in the blood of users to be significantly too high or significantly too low. The medication is then either less well tolerated and can lead to side effects or, on the other hand, it has too weak an effect and can slow down the progress of the treatment. Experts recommend avoiding the fruit completely during cancer treatment. This applies to both the fresh fruit and the juice and other preparations made from it. Other citrus fruits also have an effect on medication Other citrus fruits also have interactions similar to those of grapefruit: Pomelo (a cross between grapefruit and pomelo) Limes a certain type of orange often used in jam (Seville orange or bitter orange) Mandarins and clementines to a lesser extent Patients should also avoid these fruits if their cancer medication is known to interact with grapefruit. According to the Cancer Information Service, other citrus fruits have not been sufficiently studied enzymatically, but have not yet been found to have a problematic effect on medication. These include “normal” oranges as well as lemons.