A major study is showing promise in the fight against a form of breast cancer that’s hard to treat.

Some 62,000 women were monitored over 20 years by scientists in the Netherlands.

The research shows a Mediterranean style diet – rich in fish, olive oil and plant protein – can cut the risk of developing ER-negative breast cancer by 40 per cent

John Crown is a consultant oncologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin. He said the study was “provocative”.

“It’s quite provocative data”, he said.

“One of the big ways of reducing mortality from cancer is to encourage healthy eating in children.”