When it comes to lowering your risk of cancer, what you add to your plate can make a meaningful difference.

Jeanna Rich, an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services, says the key is nourishing the body with whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich foods and Omega-3s.

As someone who works closely with cancer patients, Rich encourages people to think of food as a daily opportunity to fuel the immune system and support long-term health.

Why fiber matters

Most Americans fall short on fiber; a nutrient vital for good gut bacteria, healthy digestion and lowering the risk of colorectal cancer.

Rich says increasing fiber can be simple. Start by working whole grains into meals: oats, wild rice, flax seed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. They can easily be sprinkled onto cottage cheese, Greek yogurt or oatmeal to boost texture and nutrition.

Research backs up these benefits. A large group of researchers from 15 international cohort studies, including scientists from the American Cancer Society (ACS), analyzed data from more than 842,000 men across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Their findings suggest that dietary fiber may lower the risk of developing advanced and aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Additional ACS findings note that whole grains may help fight against advanced prostate cancer.

Rich offers a practical approach to building a fiber-forward breakfast.

"Another great way to add fiber is with our yogurt. A lot of us make yogurt parfaits, but here's a way to take it to the next level. Add chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts," Rich says. "Top them with berries, which contain a ton of fiber."

Berries – whether fresh or frozen – are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and deep pigments that signal high nutrient content. Rich recommends buying frozen berries and storing them in the fridge to thaw, making them easy to add into yogurt, cottage cheese or morning oatmeal. Frozen produce can be a cost-effective option, especially when items are out of season, Rich says. Thanks to the flash-freezing process, these foods retain their nutrients and offer the same high-quality nutrition as fresh varieties, she adds.

Other high-fiber additions include quinoa, lentils and canned beans, which are paired well with salads, vegetables and hearty meals.

The power of Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in reducing inflammation and strengthening immune cells.

Some plant-based Omega-3s are found in foods like ground flax seed, but Rich notes that fish-based sources are more efficiently used by the body.

"Some Omega-3s will be found in ground flax seed. However, your body doesn't utilize it as effectively. So, you want to go for those Omega-3s, found in salmon. Keep it frozen in your freezer and choose products that are wild caught. That will have a higher concentration of Omega-3s," Rich says. "Omega-3s help decrease inflammation in our body and increases our fighter cells, so it's a wonderful way to protect from chronic disease and cancer."

Salmon can easily be added into breakfast dishes, salads or purchased as salmon patties. Canned sardines are another convenient, nutrient-dense option.

A need for more vegetables, and more variety

Despite growing awareness of the benefits of produce, Americans still struggle to get enough vegetables into their diet.

"A lot of us are not getting enough vegetables. Many Americans are getting a decent amount of fruit, but vegetables are the tricky ones. When it comes to veggies, diversity is key," Rich says. "On average, most of us only use the same 10 vegetables in our eating routine."

Rich encourages using easy steamer bags filled with multiple vegetables. These mixes often include an array of colors – a good sign you're getting a wide range of nutrients that help fight cancer and chronic disease.

The benefits of polyphenols

Colorful fruits and vegetables bring another powerful nutrient group: polyphenols.

"Polyphenols, flavonoids and lycopene are some key words you may be hearing. Those are the things that are activated in your body and helping protect you," Rich says. "Polyphenols are becoming very popular and are in studies about the gut microbiome. That is considered a source of prebiotics, as well. All these different colors can help feed that good bacteria that helps your immune system be healthy."

Lycopene – found in red and orange produce like tomatoes and peppers – is known to help protect against prostate cancer. Cooked tomatoes are especially beneficial because heat increases lycopene concentration.

Rich suggests adding tomatoes into soups, stews and chili to boost cancer-fighting potential.

What kinds of cancer can a healthy diet protect against?

According to Rich, the right dietary patterns can help protect against a wide range of cancers:

• Breast
• Ovarian
• Gynecologic
• Prostate
• Colorectal
• Gastric

Fiber, Omega-3s and polyphenols are particularly powerful against colorectal and gastric cancers.

Additionally, managing weight through a balanced diet can reduce estrogen production in adipose tissue — a factor that increases breast cancer risk.

Fiber, protein, fruits and vegetables help reduce that risk and help us live a healthier life.

Surprising ways to get more protein

Protein also plays a crucial role in prevention and is especially important for those undergoing treatment.

Rich offers several easy, creative ways to boost protein intake:

• Scrambled eggs: Whisk in cottage cheese to make them “extra fluffy and packed with more protein.”
• Greek yogurt: Blend into red tomato sauce or pasta dishes or use it to make spinach artichoke dip.
• Oatmeal: Add kefir to boost protein and probiotics, helping reduce blood sugar spikes and inflammation.

Foods and drinks to limit or avoid

To best support your health, Rich recommends minimizing:

• Ultra-processed foods
• Artificial additives
• Alcohol
• Excess red meats
• Color dyes
• Processed meats

These items contribute to inflammation and can increase the risk of several types of cancer.

To learn more about how cooking and nutrition work together to improve your health, visit the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute Teaching Kitchen's website. 

Leading the charge for cancer care across the region, OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois, will be offering two ovarian cancer clinical trials for patients.

Clinical trial #1 | GOG 3115

The first trial, which launched in early September 2025, gives select ovarian cancer patients the option to receive an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) that targets specific cancer cells. OSF Cancer Institute will be a part of a cooperative group trial with the GOG Partners program, including multiple sites across the United States.

Michelle Rowland, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with OSF HealthCare, says it will allow for lower dosing, which is an improvement from traditional chemotherapy. This creates fewer side effects, while still being more effective.

"Recently in patients who have had their ovarian cancer recur, we've noted that we have a new drug called mirvetuximab soravtansine with Carboplatin, which works really well in those patients. This is now a trial looking at using this drug in cancer patients with a new diagnosis," Dr. Rowland explains. “This changes what the standard of care is and hopefully improves the responses we're getting and lessening the side effects of their treatment. This will be for patients who are newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer and require chemotherapy."

Common side effects for chemotherapy patients with ovarian cancer:

• Nausea 
• Fatigue 
• Neuropathy (numbness and tingling in hands and feet)
• Bone pain 

Dr. Rowland says OSF Cancer Institute is currently looking for patients with a new ovarian cancer diagnosis for the upcoming trial.

Any new ovarian cancer patient who has not received chemotherapy before would be eligible to try this new drug. 

Clinical trial #2

A second study, which is a national cooperative group trial, is set to offer new treatments for patients who have already undergone ovarian cancer treatment. This is for patients who did well during the treatment, but their cancer came back. 

"These treatments typically involve some of the antibody drug conjugates, but also immunotherapy and combinations of those medications. This gives patients new options they might not see," Dr. Rowland says. "So, for someone who is seen in our system, or seen elsewhere and wants a different treatment option, that will be open here." 

The second trial is expected to launch in late 2025, as OSF HealthCare plans to open additional trials for patients.

Ovarian cancer common facts

For a long time, ovarian cancer has been called the "silent killer." Dr. Rowland wants to dispel that myth, because there are signs and symptoms to look out for, she says. 

Ovarian cancer symptoms:

• Abdominal bloating
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Lack of appetite
• Feeling full after a few bites of food
• Constantly feeling the need to urinate

"Those are the most common and can be related to a lot of different things. So, if you're having these symptoms, we encourage patients to reach out to their doctor,” Dr. Rowland says.

For breast cancer patients, to be eligible for genetic testing, there are a few guidelines people need to meet. For ovarian cancer, all it takes to receive genetic testing is to have the disease. This is because a larger number of ovarian cancer patients will have a genetic mutation, roughly 15-20%, Dr. Rowland says. 

Robotic-assisted surgeries are an option for select surgeries at OSF HealthCare. Surgeons can use the brand-new da Vinci 5 robotic system by Intuitive. Dr. Rowland says she has seen a benefit for ovarian cancer patients since using the new technology. 

An ovarian cancer survivor group is having a walk at the OSF Cancer Institute on Saturday, September 20. This gives a way for people to support ovarian cancer survivors and learn more about the disease. More information about the 2025 Teal Butterfly Blessings Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk can be found here.

For more information about gynecologic cancer services and resources at OSF, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

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A significant amount of these cases is due to genetic mutations from parents passing defective genes down to their children.

"We inherit DNA material from our parents, both mother and father, and sometimes these genes can have a defect," says Jamin Addae, MD, a breast surgeon with OSF HealthCare. "This means the gene would not work very well, like a normal gene would." 

A significant family history of breast cancer is found in about 25% of patients with the disease. Up to 10% of all persons with a new diagnosis of breast cancer will have an “identifiable genetic mutation” that caused or increased the risk of developing breast cancer, Dr. Addae says.

"For women with male relatives who have prostate cancer, these women in the family may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The gene mutation could increase the risk of several types of cancer, for instance in the case of BRCA 1 mutation, it increases the risk of breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers,” Dr. Addae says. “Males in the family may not develop any cancers ("silent carriers) or may develop prostate cancer if they have the gene mutation. They can then pass this defective gene to their daughters who would later develop breast cancer. The disease itself is not what is passed down to the child, it is the defective gene that increases the risk of breast cancer that is passed down"

Several gene mutations can be passed down from parent to child.

• BRCA 1: Angelina Jolie carries this mutation, which she has spoken publicly about. This increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
• BRCA 2: Increases the risk of breast, prostate and other cancers.
• PTEN mutation, which can lead to PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome (PHTS). PHTS increases risk for breast, endometrial, thyroid, and colon cancers.
• TP53 mutation
• STK11 mutation: Linked to Peutz-Jegher's syndrome
• PALB2 mutation: Very rare. Linked to a higher risk of breast cancer and hereditary pancreatic cancer.
• CD81 mutation

These gene mutations can increase your risk of developing breast cancer significantly over an 85-year lifespan, Dr. Addae says.

So how do you know if you have a gene mutation? Most of the time, you wouldn’t.

"With BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, you might have people in your family with prostate cancer, breast cancer or ovarian cancer. With this combination of cancers and young people developing these cancers, that serves as a red flag, which tells you with this strong family history, there might be something going on,” he adds.

To qualify for genetic testing, Dr. Addae says medical professionals must follow specific guidelines first. 

• You don't have breast cancer, but you come to your oncology team with a strong family history of cancers. 
• There are people with known mutations in your family.
• You come with a diagnosis of breast cancer under the age of 50 (some guidelines say 65).
• You have triple-negative breast cancer.
• You have Stage 4 breast cancer. Genetic testing might show your cancer team certain types of helpful treatment that are only available for people with that type of gene mutation.
• You have other family members with breast, prostate or ovarian cancer, and you develop breast cancer. 

Additionally, Dr. Addae says there are modifiable risk factors, or things we can control, that increase the risk of breast cancer. 

• Waiting longer to have a child
• Taking oral contraception
• Post-menopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy
• Radiation for certain cancers (like lymphoma): Dr. Addae notes that if the medical team deems radiation for lymphoma necessary, it’s important to receive the treatment
• Post-menopausal weight gain

There are proactive things you can do to decrease your risk of breast cancer as well

• Cut out smoking
• Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink
• Know your family history

Making an appointment with your doctor for a screening, along with self-examination of your breasts, are good ways to keep an eye on things, Dr. Addae adds.

For more information on breast cancer and programs and services available, head to the OSF HealthCare website.

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Innovative Technologies at the Forefront

Leading-edge cancer treatments like proton beam therapy, brachytherapy, genetic counseling and dietetics are all offered within the OSF Cancer Institute, providing patients with a one-stop-shop during their cancer journey.  

Proton therapy

Proton therapy was first offered on April 1, 2024.

"Proton therapy lets us offer radiation therapy to patients that maybe wouldn't have been able to tolerate side effects due to tumor location, or factors such as prior radiation treatment to the same area," says Tom Cox, the vice president of operations at OSF Cancer Institute. " This is possible because protons stop after passing through a tumor, eliminating the radiation effects on tissue often treated incidentally to photon (X-ray) therapy. The OSF Cancer Institute is on track to have treated 180 patients by April 1, 2025 – which far exceeded the original first-year target of 130 patients.

Brachytherapy

The brachytherapy suite offers a more patient-friendly way for mostly prostate and gynecological (cervical, endometrial) cancer patients to receive treatment. This option involves placement of applicators or needles directly into tumors so that very controlled, effective radiation can be delivered in discrete volumes. Since the radiation is delivered from within the tumor, there is a dramatic reduction of the dose to normal tissue, even those near the tumor itself. The dose is delivered with high-dose rate techniques so the therapy is delivered in just a few minutes time.

"Being able to bring the introduction of the applicators into the body, the treatment planning CT and the treatment all in one room, has created a much better experience. We're having some really good outcomes there, and we think we can expand what we're able to do there,” Cox says.

Intuitive Ion robot 

The OSF Cancer Institute’s pulmonology team offers state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and treatments, including minimally invasive, robotic surgeries and robotic assistive bronchoscopy. This includes the Intuitive Ion Robot, which allows care teams to get early answers and advance care for lung cancer patients.

"We're going to leverage the ability of an ion robot in the interventional pulmonary lab to really upend how we do the front end of lung cancer care," Cox says. "That robot is going to enable us to biopsy smaller lesions. It has fewer side effects than when you're getting a lung biopsy that's CT-guided. You can also do a staged EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound) exam, so you can diagnosis and stage at the same time."

Rachael Davis, MD, a pulmonologist at OSF Cancer Institute, and her team have been using the ion robot weekly. Dr. Davis and her team are training more providers, and by this summer they’re expecting to quadruple – or more – how often it’s used. 

HIPEC procedures

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgeries are now offered at the OSF Cancer Institute. Tamara Floyd, MD, a surgical oncologist with OSF performs the open surgery and removes tumors from the abdomen. In the HIPEC procedure, heated chemotherapy is circulated through the body for a period of time. The first case went extremely well, and Dr. Floyd is planning her second case for mid-March. 

In addition to treatment options, the OSF Cancer Institute is increasing cancer supportive services in the Peoria region as well.

• Cancer navigation - 13% increase (Specially trained OSF Mission Partners walking you through the process of cancer care) 
• Dietetics - 64% increase
• Palliative medicine - 213% increase (Helps control symptoms, augments treatment from physicians) 
• Genetic counseling - 20% increase

Nutrition journey during cancer

Part of the dietary benefits OSF Cancer Institute offers is in the CEFCU Teaching Kitchen. Oncology dietitians work with patients on recipes to cook and are there with them step-by-step during their cancer journeys. Cox says 50% of people who come in for cancer treatment have dietary risks, while 80% of those people suffer malnutrition during treatment. Having a trained, professional dietary team walking alongside you helps fight those negative complications.

OSF Cancer Institute Culture

Cox credits the Institute’s first-year success to the culture of those who work there. The goal, he says, is to offer cancer support services across the entire spectrum of life. 

"The Mission Partners that work in this building have completely bought in to the idea that we all are advocates for cancer patients. We're always asking patients what they need, to see if we can help them," Cox says. "If we hear there's an issue with travel, or they're having trouble keeping food down, or if their children are not coping very well (with a loved one's cancer diagnosis), we know there are resources in the building, and we try very hard to line up those resources. You can feel it when you walk through the building."

Support services after cancer treatment 

"We can get you with a nurse, an exercise specialist and a dietitian to get back to your best life after cancer. Maybe you like to run a lot and ran half marathons, and you think you'll never be able to do it again. We have rehab and exercise specialists here and nutritionists. Who says you can't do that again? We're going to work with you to see you can get to the life after cancer you want to get to,” Cox says.

Services and medical professionals continue to grow

Building off the first year of OSF Cancer Institute, the administrative team continues to hire world-class medical professionals to offer cancer care in Peoria. A breast surgeon was recently brought onto the team, and a colorectal surgeon will be starting soon.

Additionally, the fourth floor of the building will be built out soon. Cox says this will give much-needed space for the surgical oncology and medical research teams. Research-focused medical oncologists are currently being recruited as well.

Leaving OSF Cancer Institute healthier, and more aware

Patients who leave OSF Cancer Institute don't just leave the building as healthier people; their awareness continues and will benefit other people. Cox admits a cancer diagnosis is not an easy thing to go through, and that the support from the OSF care team doesn’t stop when you walk out the door.

Grateful for community support

Cox says he’s been humbled throughout the years of working in oncology by the incredible commitment of the community and region to the OSF Cancer Institute.

"It is overwhelming to me, the philanthropic spirit of our community and extended community," Cox says. "I take that as, they've made a big commitment to us, and we're making a big commitment back. We're going to bring things to central Illinois that have not been here before. We are going to support you and your family members throughout your life and keep you as healthy, relative to cancer, as we possibly can."

Looking to the future

Cox says the OSF Cancer Institute is looking to bring more pediatric cancer support services to the building, the work collaboratively alongside the adult services.

The team is creating both a lung lesion clinic and a lung multidisciplinary clinic, which aims to reduce the time from finding a cancerous lesion to treatment. The lesion clinic is expected to open in late spring.

The OSF Cancer Institute intake team has been created with oncology nurses who will answer patients’ questions on the very same day, to see if services are right for you.

Cox adds that OSF is planning to put together an early detection hotline as a resource for the community to know if or when they should be screened for cancer.

To learn more about the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute, visit its website to view the services offered and find contact information to get connected.

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OSF HealthCare and Bradley University are focusing on cancer prevention and treatment, as well as improving overall cardiac imaging plus pulmonary lung monitoring for babies and young children. The grants are the result of a partnership announced earlier this year between the Peoria, Illinois-based health system and the city’s premiere private university. The awards be given twice a year with joint funding from each organization.

This first round of grants, totaling nearly $200,000, have been awarded to four projects for research into rapidly developing the best, innovative approaches to medical training and health care delivery. The IFH grant awards include co-investigators from both Bradley University and OSF HealthCare.

Here are the Innovation for Health projects for spring 2023:

Toward Automation of a 4D Heart from Retrospectively Gated Cardiac CT Scans

Lead researchers
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Samuel Hawkins, PhD, Bradley University

The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility automating the segmentation of the 18 phases of gated cardiac CT scans to generate patient-specific, 4D beating hearts and that these 4D animations can be placed into and analyzed in a digital stereoscopic format such as virtual reality.

Pulmonary Acoustic Sensor Telemetry Array (PASTA)

Lead researchers
Adam Cross, MD, FAAP, OSF HealthCare
Suruz Miah, PhD, Bradley University
Connor Davey, BA, OSF HealthCare
Reid Jockisch, BS, OSF HealthCare

This venture is an expansion of the Pulmonary Acoustic Sensor Telemetry Array (PASTA) project which is focused on developing a device for use with an algorithm to remotely monitor lung sounds in pediatric patients. The primary deliverable of this phase is a physical device that is easily replicable and records eight channels of audio simultaneously without losing quality due to compression with minimal quality loss due to compression.

Characterization of Changes in Biomechanical Properties and Cell Aggression in Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells Following Exposure to Chemotherapy

Lead researchers
Kalyani Nair, PhD, Bradley University
Craig Cady PhD, Bradley University
Daniel Chan, MD, PhD, OSF HealthCare

The objective of this concept is to determine whether treatment with a chemotherapeutic agent will induce identifiable changes in the biomechanical properties of cancer stem cells which can be correlated with an increase in cancer stem cell aggression. Identifying biomechanical properties linked to an increase in aggression may suggest alternative approaches to suppressing cancer stem cell activation and reducing the recurrence of cancer.

Humanizing Breast Cancer Prevention: A Community-Based Approach to Increase Health Literacy and Address Breast Cancer Health Disparities among Local Underserved Women

Lead researchers
Heather Ford, MFA, Bradley University
Scott Barrows MA, FAMI, OSF HealthCare
Tianjiao (Grace) Wang, PhD, Bradley University|
Rachelle Pavelko PhD, Bradley University
Mary Stapel, MD, OSF HealthCare

This project aims to address health disparities among underserved groups by developing a community-based solution to effectively increase breast cancer health literacy and raise awareness of breast cancer prevention among local ethnic minority women.