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Phytochemicals and cancer risk: a review of the epidemiological evidence.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Miller, PE; Snyder, DC
Published in: Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
October 2012

A number of epidemiological studies have investigated associations between various phytochemicals and cancer risk. Phytoestrogens and carotenoids are the two most commonly studied classes of phytochemicals; phytosterols, isothiocyanates, and chlorophyll also have been investigated, although to a much lesser extent. Because there have been no systematic reviews of the literature on all phytochemicals and cancer risk to date, this article systematically reviews 96 published epidemiological studies that examined associations between phytochemicals and cancer risk. Most studies found null associations between individual phytochemicals and cancer risk at various sites. In addition, results from past studies have been largely inconsistent, and observed associations have been of relatively modest magnitude. The most consistent protective effects were observed for higher levels--dietary intake, serum, plasma, or urinary metabolites--of β-carotene and renal cell cancer, β-cryptoxanthin and lung cancer, isothiocyanates and lung cancer, isothiocyanates and gastrointestinal cancer, lignans and postmenopausal breast cancer, and flavonoids and lung cancer. Although elevated risk of certain cancers with higher levels of certain phytochemicals was observed, an insufficient pool of studies examining the same associations or inconsistent findings across studies limit the ability to conclude that any one phytochemical increases cancer risk. Additional research is needed to support previously identified associations in cases where only one study has examined a particular relationship. Importantly, continued research efforts are needed to evaluate the cumulative and interactive effects of numerous phytochemicals and phytochemical-rich foods on cancer risk.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

DOI

EISSN

1941-2452

ISSN

0884-5336

Publication Date

October 2012

Volume

27

Issue

5

Start / End Page

599 / 612

Related Subject Headings

  • Plants
  • Plant Extracts
  • Phytotherapy
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Neoplasms
  • Lignans
  • Isothiocyanates
  • Humans
  • Flavonoids
  • Carotenoids
 

Citation

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Miller, P. E., & Snyder, D. C. (2012). Phytochemicals and cancer risk: a review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutrition in Clinical Practice : Official Publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 27(5), 599–612. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533612456043
Miller, Paige E., and Denise C. Snyder. “Phytochemicals and cancer risk: a review of the epidemiological evidence.Nutrition in Clinical Practice : Official Publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 27, no. 5 (October 2012): 599–612. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533612456043.
Miller PE, Snyder DC. Phytochemicals and cancer risk: a review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2012 Oct;27(5):599–612.
Miller, Paige E., and Denise C. Snyder. “Phytochemicals and cancer risk: a review of the epidemiological evidence.Nutrition in Clinical Practice : Official Publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, vol. 27, no. 5, Oct. 2012, pp. 599–612. Epmc, doi:10.1177/0884533612456043.
Miller PE, Snyder DC. Phytochemicals and cancer risk: a review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2012 Oct;27(5):599–612.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

DOI

EISSN

1941-2452

ISSN

0884-5336

Publication Date

October 2012

Volume

27

Issue

5

Start / End Page

599 / 612

Related Subject Headings

  • Plants
  • Plant Extracts
  • Phytotherapy
  • Nutrition & Dietetics
  • Neoplasms
  • Lignans
  • Isothiocyanates
  • Humans
  • Flavonoids
  • Carotenoids