Flavonoids and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Study in Italy

Abstract

Flavonoids have been associated with a reduced risk of lung, digestive tract, and certain hormone-related cancers. With reference to prostate cancer, a few epidemiological studies have found an inverse relation with intake of isoflavones, flavonols, and flavones, although the evidence remains limited and inconsistent. The role of six principal classes of flavonoids on prostate cancer was investigated using data from a multicentric case-control study conducted between 1991 and 2002 in Italy. This included 1,294 incident, histologically confirmed carcinomas of the prostate and 1,451 controls admitted to the same hospitals as cases for a wide spectrum of acute, non-neoplastic conditions. The patients' usual diet was assessed using a validated and reproducible food-frequency questionnaire; food and beverage content of six major classes of flavonoids was obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. No association between prostate cancer risk was found with any of the flavonoids analyzed: the multivariate odds ratios for the highest versus the lowest quintile of intake were 0.96 (95% confidence interval, CI = 0.75-1.23) for flavanones, 1.3 (95% CI = 1.01-1.69) for flavan-3-ols, 1.23 (95% CI = 0.95-1.61) for flavonols, 1.09 (95% CI = 0.85-1.40) for flavonols, 1.18 (95% CI = 0.91-1.53) for anthocyanidins, 0.98 (95% CI = 0.76-1.26) for isoflavones, and 1.20 (95% CI = 0.92-1.58) for total flavonoids, all nonstatistically significant. Thus, the results of the present study do not support a protective effect of flavonoids on prostate cancer in this Italian population, characterized by a high intake of flavonoid-containing foods (except isoflavone-rich foods).

Flavonoids and the Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma

“…In most, although not all, studies, intake of various flavonoids has been inversely related to the risk of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (7)(8)(9), stomach (10,11), colorectum (12,13), lung (14)(15)(16)(17), breast (18,19), and prostate (20), but only scanty information is available on their possible role on kidney cancer (17).…”

Bioactive Chromone Derivatives – Structural Diversity

“…(2)) intake and the appearance of several types of human cancer, having established chemoprotective effects towards colorectal, pharyngeal, laryngeal, oral and ovarian cancer risk for this type of chromone-based compounds. Regarding prostate cancer, however, the results obtained by these researchers for this particular chromone analogue do not support a protective effect [30], which reflects selectivity, another relevant feature of the anticancer protective activity of this kind of systems. Additionally, dietary polyphenols were shown to possess beneficial cardiovascular effects [31,32].…”

Dietary Anthocyanins: Impact on Colorectal Cancer and Mechanisms of Action

“…However, an Italian study aimed at investigating the relationship between anthocyanidins intake and risk for oral or pharyngeal cancer did not show any significant association (Rossi et al, 2007). There was no protective effect demonstrated on the development of prostate cancer either (Bosetti et al, 2006). Optimal tumor inhibition occurs when the berry anthocyanins are added to the diet before, during and after treatment with carcinogens, suggesting that consumption of berries throughout life may maximize their chemopreventive effectiveness in humans.…”