Diet can cut ovarian cancer risk

Women who eat larger amounts of plant-based foods and drinks with the naturally occurring flavonoid - apigenin may have a low risk for ovarian cancer. Flavanoids are compounds with antioxidant properties that protect cells against damage by oxygen molecules. Apigenin, found in celery, parsley, red wine, tomato sauce, and other plant-based foods may be particularly beneficial. Researchers from United Kingdom assessed 1,141 women with ovarian cancer and 1,183 matched controls to evaluate the association between dietary flavanoid intake and ovarian cancer risk. Intake of 5 common dietary flavanoids - myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, and apigenin (frequently obtained by drinking tea or red wine, or eating apples, lettuce, blueberries, oranges, celery, or tomato sauce) and their total intake was calculated for over a period of one week in all the participants. There was no association found between total flavonoid intake and ovarian cancer risk in analyses that allowed for factors potentially associated with ovarian cancer risk such as age, oral contraceptive use, childbirth, breastfeeding, history of tubal ligation, and physical activity. However, on comparing flavonoid intake among women with and without ovarian cancer, women who reported the highest apigenin intake had a borderline significant decrease in ovarian cancer risk over women reporting the lowest apigenin intake. The women had similar characteristics except that women with ovarian cancer reported more known risk factors for the disease and had slightly greater body mass and daily calorie intake. In contrast, the disease-free controls had a slightly healthier overall diet. The findings support an association between flavonoid intake and ovarian cancer risk, but more studies are needed for confirmation.

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