A groundbreaking international study suggests that simple dietary changes could offer a lifeline to thousands of men living with prostate cancer, potentially helping them avoid invasive surgery and other harsh treatments.
Slowing Tumour Growth with Diet
Researchers from the University of Bedfordshire led a trial which found that boosting the diets of prostate cancer patients with specific supplements significantly slowed the progression of a key cancer indicator. The study focused on men with slow-growing tumours who are under active surveillance by the NHS, a 'watch and wait' approach where patients are monitored rather than immediately treated.
The trial participants were given a supplement containing broccoli, turmeric, pomegranate, green tea, ginger, and cranberry. Half of the group also received a probiotic containing the 'good' bacteria lactobacillus. The results, published in early 2026, showed that PSA progression slowed significantly in both groups, with an even greater effect observed in those taking the additional probiotic.
The PSA Anxiety Problem
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by the prostate gland, and elevated levels in blood tests can indicate tumour growth. However, the test is notoriously flawed. Evidence suggests PSA levels can rise for many reasons, including simple infections, and a striking 75% of people with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer.
Professor Robert Thomas, the study's first author and a consultant clinical oncologist, explained the critical issue: "Currently about 60% of men, with lower-risk disease, initially opt for active surveillance. But alarmingly over 50% opt out within five years." This is often driven by anxiety over fluctuating PSA results during regular testing, leading men to choose surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy for tumours that may never cause them harm.
Professor Thomas emphasised the potential impact: "As fewer than 5% of men in this prognostic group are likely to die from their disease, a successful dietary intervention, which helps men remain on active surveillance, could help avoid treatment-related toxicities in a large majority who might otherwise be over-treated."
A Controversial Screening Landscape
This research emerges against a backdrop of controversy surrounding prostate cancer screening in the UK. In 2025, the UK National Screening Committee rejected calls for widespread PSA testing for most at-risk men, citing concerns over 'overdiagnosis' and 'lifelong harms' from unnecessary surgery. Such harms include urinary incontinence, often requiring the use of pads.
Routine PSA testing is not offered on the NHS, though it may be provided if symptoms are present. This decision proved contentious, with campaigners like Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy, who has a terminal diagnosis following late detection despite a family history, arguing for wider access for high-risk groups, including Black men over 50 and those with a family history.
Professor Freddie Hamdy of Oxford University, a member of the screening committee, highlighted the human dilemma: "The slightest glitch in any of these [tests]... the man is so sensitive to the possibility of disease progression that he will ask for treatment. And we find out after surgery... that the vast majority of these operations were unnecessary." NHS data shows that after 10 years of active surveillance, 50% of patients opt for treatment.
The new dietary approach offers a promising middle ground. Professor Thomas noted the unique strength of the findings: "What is particularly reassuring is that the changes we saw in PSA were supported by changes on MRI scans, which is very unusual and unique in nutritional research." While longer-term follow-up is planned, this discovery opens the door to non-invasive strategies that could improve quality of life and reduce the burden of overtreatment for countless men.
