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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #237878
Title: Flavonoid consumption and esophageal cancer among Black and White men in the United States

Author
item BOBE, GERD - National Cancer Institute (NCI, NIH)
item PETERSON, JULIA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item GRIDLEY, GLORIA - National Cancer Institute (NCI, NIH)
item HYER, MARIANNE - Information Management Services, Inc
item DWYER, JOHANNA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item MORRIS BROWN, LINDA - Research Triangle Institute

Submitted to: International Journal of Cancer
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/24/2009
Publication Date: 9/1/2009
Citation: Bobe, G., Peterson, J.J., Gridley, G., Hyer, M., Dwyer, J.T., Morris Brown, L. 2009. Flavonoid consumption and esophageal cancer among Black and White men in the United States. International Journal of Cancer. 125:1147-1154.

Interpretive Summary: Low raw fruit and vegetable consumption has been associated with increased risk of the two subtypes of esophageal cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Flavonoids and proanthocyanidins are bioactive phytochemicals (called polyphenols) that are present in raw fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruits, apples, and legumes as well as in beverages such as tea, citrus fruit juices, and wine. They might partially account for the protective effect of high raw fruit and vegetable consumption in EAC and ESCC. To examine the association between flavonoid and proanthocyanidin intake and EAC and ESCC, we developed a flavonoid and proanthocyanidin database especially for this study. Dietary, beverage, and other risk factor data were collected using a population-based, case-control study of 161 white men with EAC, 114 white men with ESCC, 218 black men with ESCC, and 678 white and 557 black controls who were free of cancer. Neither total flavonoid nor proanthocyanidin intake was associated with EAC and ESCC in either white or black men. Individual types of flavonoids were also not related to these esophageal cancer subtypes after accounting for dietary fiber, which was strongly correlated with flavonoid consumption. We conclude that total flavonoids and proanthocyanidins do not have strong protective effects in either EAC or ESCC.

Technical Abstract: Flavonoids and proanthocyanidins are bioactive polyphenolic components of fruits and vegetables that may account for part of the protective effect of raw fruit and vegetable consumption in esophageal cancer. We studied the relationship between esophageal cancer and dietary proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, and flavonoid subclasses (anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavonoids) using recently developed USDA and Tufts flavonoid and proanthocyanidin databases. The study was a population-based, case-control analysis of 161 white men with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), 114 white and 218 black men with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and 678 white and 557 black control men who lived in 3 areas of the United States. Neither total flavonoid nor proanthocyanidin intake was associated with EAC and ESCC in either white or black men. In white men, inverse associations were observed between anthocyanidin intake and EAC (4th versus 1st quartile odds ratio [OR], 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.91; Ptrend = 0.04) and between isoflavonoid intake and ESCC (4th versus 1st quartile OR, 0.43, 95% CI, 0.20-0.93; Ptrend = 0.01). None of the associations remained significant after adjusting for dietary fiber, which is strongly correlated with flavonoid consumption. We conclude that total flavonoids and proanthocyanidins do not have strong protective effects in either EAC or ESCC. Some protective effects were evident in flavonoid subclasses and population subgroups. In white men, foods rich in anthocyanidins may have chemopreventive effects in EAC and those rich in isoflavonoids may do so in ESCC.