Mediterranean Diet and Cancer

Mediterranean Diet and Cancer


Mediterranean Diet & Cancer

E.Roehm, M.D.

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been associated with an overall reduction in cancer both in the occurrence of cancer and the reduction of death from cancer.1,2

In regards to individual cancers, following a Mediterranean diet has been associated with a reduction in breast cancer in post menopausal women3 and stomach cancer in the general population4.

Of potential interest are several studies comparing virgin olive oil and corn oil in an experimental animal model for the development of breast tumors, which showed less breast tumor development with virgin olive oil compared to corn oil.5-7.

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1. Trichopoulou A, Costacou T, Bamia C, et al. Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Survival in a Greek Population. N Engl J Med 2003;348:2599-608.

2. Sofi F, Abbate R, Gensini G Casini A. Accruing evidence on benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.  Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:1189-96

3. Trichopoulou A, Bamia C, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D. Conformity to traditional Mediterranean diet and breast cancer risk in the Greek EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:620-5.

4. Buckland G, Agudo A, Luján L, Jakszyn P, et al. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91:381-90.

5. Costa I, Moral R, Solanas M, Escrich E (2004) High-fat corn oil diet promotes the development of high histologic grade rat DMBA-induced mammary adenocarcinomas, while high olive oil does not. Breast Cancer Res Treat 86:225–235

6. Solanas M, Hurtado A, Costa I, Moral R, et al. (2002) Effects of a high olive oil diet on the clinical behavior and histopathological features of rat DMBA-induced mammary tumors compared with a high corn oil diet. Int J Oncol 21:745–753

7. Costa I, Moral R, Solanas M, et al. High corn oil and extra virgin olive oil diets and experimental mammary carcinogenesis: clinicopathological and immunohistochemical p21Ha-Ras expression study. Virchows Arch. 2011;458:141-51