Diet and ovarian cancer: can a plant-based diet reduce risk?

Vegetarian Journal, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Reed Mangels

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 25,000 new cases of ovarian cancer in the U.S. in 2003. This type of cancer is difficult to detect and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. A number of risk factors for this disease are known, including never having children and using hormone replacement therapy. Diet may also play a role because of its effects on hormone levels. A study of more than 800 women, 124 of whom had ovarian cancer, found that lower risk of developing cancer of the ovaries was associated with higher intakes of fiber, carotenoids, vegetables, and other substances found in vegetables, like lignans and stigmasterol. The authors of this study say that their results support the hypothesis that a plant-based diet may be important in reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers like ovarian cancer.

McCann SE, Freudenheim JL, Marshall JR, Graham S. 2003. Risk of human ovarian cancer is related to dietary intake of selected nutrients, phytochemicals and food groups. J Nutr 133:1937-42.