Crucifers Protect against Prostate Cancer

BETHESDA, Md.Increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower, correlate to decreased risk of prostate cancer, especially extraprostatic (stage 3 and 4 tumors) prostate cancer. The study (J Nat Cancer Inst. 2007 99(15):1200-1209), which looked at whether vegetable intake protected against prostate cancer, was a collaboration from multiple, renowned cancer research facilities, including: the National Cancer Institute; Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle; University of Washington, Seattle; Josephine Ford Cancer Center, Detroit; and Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto.

Researchers evaluated the association between prostate cancer risk and intake of fruits and vegetables in 1,338 prostate cancer patients among 29,361 men (average follow-up of 4.2 years) in the screening arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Subjects completed both a general risk factor and a 137-item food-frequency questionnaire at baseline.

Vegetable and fruit intake was not related to overall prostate cancer risk; however, risk of extraprostatic prostate cancer decreased with increasing vegetable intake. Specifically, researchers connected the association directly to intake of cruciferous vegetables, primarily broccoli and cauliflower. They further noted some evidence showed risk of aggressive prostate cancer decreased with increasing spinach consumption, but the findings were not consistently statistically significant when restricted to extraprostatic disease.

The research team concluded high intake of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower, may be associated with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer, particularly extraprostatic disease.