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Cancer Causes & Control
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control 9/2009

01-11-2009 | Original paper

Legume intake and the risk of cancer: a multisite case–control study in Uruguay

Authors: Dagfinn Aune, Eduardo De Stefani, Alvaro Ronco, Paolo Boffetta, Hugo Deneo-Pellegrini, Giselle Acosta, Maria Mendilaharsu

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 9/2009

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Abstract

Background

Previous studies have suggested that a high intake of legumes may decrease the risk of stomach and prostate cancer and some other cancers. However, the evidence is still limited. To further explore the association between legume intake and cancer risk we conducted a case–control study of 11 cancer sites in Uruguay between 1996 and 2004, including 3,539 cancer cases and 2,032 hospital controls.

Results

The highest versus the lowest tertile of legume intake was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.34–0.68), esophagus (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38–0.77), larynx (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40–0.77), upper aerodigestive tract (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.40–0.63), stomach (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.49–0.97), colorectum (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.32–0.59), kidney (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24–0.71), and all sites combined (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.59–0.78). No significant association was observed between legume intake and cancers of the lung (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.83–1.27), breast (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.65–1.20), prostate (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.64–1.18) or bladder (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.57–1.17). Similar results were found for both beans and lentils.

Conclusion

Higher intake of legumes was associated with a decreased risk of several cancers including those of the upper aerodigestive tract, stomach, colorectum, and kidney, but not lung, breast, prostate or bladder. Further investigations of these associations in prospective cohort studies are warranted.
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Metadata
Title
Legume intake and the risk of cancer: a multisite case–control study in Uruguay
Authors
Dagfinn Aune
Eduardo De Stefani
Alvaro Ronco
Paolo Boffetta
Hugo Deneo-Pellegrini
Giselle Acosta
Maria Mendilaharsu
Publication date
01-11-2009
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 9/2009
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9406-z

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