Adding fruit, nuts & fish to daily diet can help patients with advanced melanoma, says new study

The benefits of a Mediterranean diet are not a secret anymore.

Time and again, doctors have prescribed this diet to people who are vulnerable to heart disease or hypertension. This diet earns a reputation for managing depression and preventing the brain from dementia.

A new study has found a link between the Mediterranean diet and improved immunotherapy response rates and progression-free survival in advanced melanoma patients.


According to the multi-centre study by the UK and the Netherlands researchers, diet plays a crucial role in the success of immunotherapy. Currently, more trials are being expanded to investigate the outcomes for different types of tumours, including digestive cancers.

Presented at UEG Week 2022, the findings showed that eating a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fibre, mono-unsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols, was significantly associated with an improved response to immunotherapy drugs called Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs).

The ICIs, which have been highly successful in treating melanoma, block the immune system checkpoints and force the body's T-cells to attack cancers.

For the study, the researchers recorded the dietary intake of 91 patients with advanced melanoma, who were treated with ICI drugs and monitored their progress with regular radiographic response check-ups. The Mediterranean diet was significantly associated with progression-free survival at 12 months.

Laura Bolte, the lead author of the study and PhD candidate under the supervision of Professor Rinse Weersma from the University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands, said, "ICI has helped to revolutionise the treatment of different types of advanced cancers. Our study underlines the importance of dietary assessment in cancer patients starting ICI treatment and supports a role for dietary strategies to improve patient outcomes and survival."

A plant-based diet contains mono- and polyunsaturated fats that come from olive oil, nuts and fish, whereas polyphenols and fibre are abundantly available in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.

The study also found that eating whole grains and legumes reduced the likelihood of developing drug-induced immune-related side effects, such as colitis (when the colon feels irritated or inflamed). In contrast, red and processed meat was associated with a higher probability of immune-related side effects.