Previous studies indicate that flavonoids may have antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. The current study was meant to investigate the associations between commonly consumed flavonoids and lung cancer risk.

For the study, Y Cui and colleagues from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health compared 558 lung cancer cases and 837 controls for their consumption of flavonoids, which was estimated based on the results of a food frequency questionnaire.

The researchers found certain flavonoids were inversely associated with the risk of lung cancer. Increasing consumption of epicatechin by 10 mg per day was linked to 36 percent reduction of the risk in smokers.

Increasing intake of catechin by 4 mg per day was associated with a 51 percent reduction in the lung cancer. Similarly, every increase of 9 mg per day of quercetin was linked to a 35 percent reduction and 2 mg per day of kaempferol was correlated with a 32 percent reduction.

These associations were not observed in nonsmokers, the study showed.

Also, consumption of vegetables, tea and wine, which are rich in flavonoids, was associated inversely with lung cancer among tobacco smokers.

Source:

Cancer. 2008 May 15; 112(10):2241-8.

Dietary flavonoid intake and lung cancer--a population-based case-control study.

Cui Y, Morgenstern H, Greenland S, Tashkin DP, Mao JT, Cai L, Cozen W, Mack TM, Lu QY, Zhang ZF.

Office of Health Assessment and Epidemiology, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA.

By Sue Mueller, and edited by Heather Kelley.Jun 9, 2008 - 7:43:33 AM