In a study of low-risk prostate cancer patients on the Ornish diet and exercise regimen, genetic analysis revealed profound differences in noncancerous prostate tissues in just three months, according to Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of medicine at UCSF, and colleagues.

More than 500 genes changed the way they worked. Genes with beneficial effects, including some tumor-suppression genes, became more active. Genes with deleterious effects, including some cancer-promoting genes, were switched off.

Ornish and colleagues report their findings in the June 17 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (open-access article).