Fruits and Vegetables Reduce Some Types of Colorectal Cancer Risk

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Fruits and vegetables reduce risks of specific types of colorectal cancers according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

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The effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer (CRC) appear to differ by the site of origin, according to a new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers found that brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli) were associated with decreased risk of these cancers within the proximal and distal colon. A lower risk of distal colon cancer was associated with eating more apples. However, an increased risk for rectal cancer was found with the increasing consumption of fruit juice.

"Fruits and vegetables have been examined extensively in nutritional research in relation to CRC. However, their protective effect has been subject to debate, possibly because of different effects on different sub-sites of the large bowel," commented lead investigator Professor Lin Fritschi, Ph.D., head of the Epidemiology Group at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Perth, Western Australia.

"It may be that some of the confusion about the relationship between diet and cancer risk is because previous studies did not take the site of the CRC into account. The replication of these findings in large prospective studies may help determine whether a higher intake of vegetables is a means for reducing the risk of distal CRC."

Researchers from the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, and Deakin University investigated the link between fruit and vegetables and three cancers in different parts of the bowel: proximal colon cancer, distal colon cancer, and rectal cancer. The case-control study included 918 participants with a confirmed CRC diagnosis and 1021 control participants with no history of CRC. The subjects completed extensive medical and nutritional questionnaires and were assigned a socioeconomic status based on their home address.

Consumption of brassica vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cabbage) was associated with a reduced incidence of proximal colon cancer. For distal colon cancer, total fruit and vegetable intake and total vegetable intake appeared to decrease the risk. Distal colon cancer risk was significantly decreased in association with dark yellow vegetables and apple intake. However, there was an increased risk for rectal cancer with fruit juice consumption. The risk of proximal colon cancer and rectal cancer was not associated with intakes of total fruit and vegetable, total vegetable, or whole fruit.

Previous studies on CRC have often failed to distinguish between the different sites of origin of cancers in the large bowel, even though it is now well established that tumors in the proximal colon develop along different pathways to those of the distal colon and rectum. That risk of cancer varies by subsite within the colorectum. The mechanisms for different effects of dietary components on different sites of the large bowel have not yet been determined.

The authors conclude that "from a public health point of view, it is easier to translate food-based analyses into dietary recommendations, rather than using the intake of a single nutrient."

The article is "Fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of the proximal colon, distal colon and rectal cancers in a case-control study in Western Australia" by Neeltje Annema, Jane S. Heyworth, Sarah A. McNaughton, Barry Iacopetta, and Lin Fritschi. It appears in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 111, Issue 10 (October 2011), published by Elsevier.

Attribution/Source(s):

This peer reviewed article relating to our Colorectal Cancers section was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World due to its likely interest to our disability community readers. Though the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or length, the article "Fruits and Vegetables Reduce Some Types of Colorectal Cancer Risk" was originally written by Elsevier Health Sciences, and published by Disabled-World.com on 2011-09-26 (Updated: 2022-07-12). Should you require further information or clarification, Elsevier Health Sciences can be contacted at elsevier.com/health. Disabled World makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith.

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