Study: Increasing Fiber Does Not Prevent Recurrence of Polyps

Increasing the fiber intake of people already on a high-fiber diet does not appear to lower the chances of a recurrence of precancerous colorectal polyps, according to University of Arizona researchers.

High-fiber diets have been thought for some years to provide protection against colorectal cancer. But the Wheat Bran Fiber (WBF) trial -- in which patients who already had one precancerous polyp removed received a cereal fiber supplement of two grams per day or 13.5 grams a day -- found no difference in polyp recurrence rates.

So the researchers then divided participants into four groups according to how much fiber they were eating when they joined the trial.

In their report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers reported that the amount of fiber the participants were already consuming when they joined the trial did not appear to make a difference in the recurrence rate of precancerous polyps.

They said the source of dietary fiber (fruits; breads, cereals and crackers; and vegetables) consumed by the patients when they joined the trial also seemed to have "no appreciable effect" on recurrence.

"No association was found between amount of fiber consumed at baseline and adenoma (polyp) recurrence in the WBF trial participants," the researchers concluded.

Other Sources: Journal of the National Cancer Institute