13 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ | Available to Physicians and Healthcare Professionals

Cancer nutrition is one of the fastest-evolving areas in medicine — and one of the most common topics patients bring to their clinicians. This course gives physicians and healthcare professionals a rigorous, evidence-based foundation in the role of nutrition across the cancer continuum: prevention, treatment, and survivorship.

The curriculum covers breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer in depth — including ketogenic and low-carbohydrate diets, insulin resistance, the gut microbiome, phytonutrients, and dietary supplements. It also takes on the most popular dietary approaches cancer patients are already asking about, offering clinicians the evidence they need to guide those conversations. Completing this CME cancer nutrition course, clinicians will be equipped to counsel patients with confidence, evaluate emerging evidence critically, and apply nutrition strategies that are specific, safe, and grounded in current science.

Academic Overview

The science of carcinogenesis is shifting rapidly, and emerging research continues to illuminate the interplay between nutrition and cancer. Grounded in current cancer nutrition science, this course examines those interactions — spanning cellular metabolism, immunity, inflammation, genetics, epigenetics, and the gut microbiome — with applied focus on breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. It traces the role of nutrition across prevention, active treatment, and survivorship, and includes a critical review of evidence and safety considerations for commonly used supplements.

Needs Assessment

The understanding of carcinogenesis and of personalized cancer treatment is changing. With deeper insight into the hallmarks of carcinogenesis and the role of genetics in the prevention and development of cancers, it is necessary to introduce learners to the complex interactions between cancer, nutrition, cellular metabolism, immunity, inflammation, genetics, epigenetics, and the gut microbiome. This course addresses controversies as well — including popular diets used by individuals interested in cancer prevention and recovery — offering evidence to help determine whether following these diets is in a patient's best interest. This course presents the best evidence-based nutritional recommendations for a variety of cancers and related nutritional strategies.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Identify the epidemiology of cancer.
• Recognize the impact of socioeconomic, racial, mental health, and environmental disparities in cancer care.
• Name the hallmarks of carcinogenesis and nutritional factors that impact these hallmarks.
• Describe the interaction between genes, epigenetics, and nutrition.
• Explain the rationale, evidence, clinical indications, and contraindications for various dietary patterns on cancer risk and in integrative cancer treatment - specifically carbohydrate and caloric restriction, a ketogenic diet, and fasting.
• Recognize the carcinogenic influence of insulin resistance and distinguish ways to improve insulin sensitivity.
• Identify the impact of various dietary phytonutrients and dietary supplements on cancer through an analysis of current scientific and clinical evidence.
• Apply nutritional information that is specific to cancer types, namely breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers, through a review of summarized clinical evidence and with clinical scenarios, using virtual patients as examples for counseling patients on nutritional strategies.
• Identify evidence-based nutritional and physical activity recommendations used for risk reduction and health optimization in cancer survivors.

Target Audience

This enduring material educational program is intended for physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and physician assistants. In addition, all healthcare professionals who have an interest in an integrative approach to healing are targeted.

Curriculum

• Nutrition and Cancer Introduction
• Non-Dietary Risk Factors
• How Nutrition and Genes Interact
• Cancer Metabolism
• Insulin Resistance, Obesity, and the Microbiome
• Phytonutrients
• Dietary Patterns and Three Common Cancers
• Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer Survivorship
• Course Exam

Completion Requirements

Complete all the coursework, course evaluation, and the final test with a score of 70% or better. Upon successful completion, you will be able to print your certificate of completion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)