Reduced cancer risk in vegetarians: an analysis of recent reports
Amy Joy Lanou1 and Barbara Svenson2
1 Department of Health and Wellness, University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC, USA
2 Ramsey Library, University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC, USA
Abstract
This report reviews current evidence regarding the relationship between vegetarian eating patterns and cancer risk. Although plant-based diets including vegetarian and vegan diets are generally considered to be cancer protective, very few studies have directly addressed this question. Most large prospective observational studies show that vegetarian diets are at least modestly cancer protective (10%–12% reduction in overall cancer risk) although results for specific cancers are less clear. No long-term randomized clinical trials have been conducted to address this relationship. However, a broad body of evidence links specific plant foods such as fruits and vegetables, plant constituents such as fiber, antioxidants and other phytochemicals, and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight to reduced risk of cancer diagnosis and recurrence. Also, research links the consumption of meat, especially red and processed meats, to increased risk of several types of cancer. Vegetarian and vegan diets increase beneficial plant foods and plant constituents, eliminate the intake of red and processed meat, and aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. The direct and indirect evidence taken together suggests that vegetarian diets are a useful strategy for reducing risk of cancer.


No obstante la indeterminada capacidad protectiva de ciertos cánceres por parte de la nutrición vegetaiana, sigue siendo considerada la misma como tal.
Se debe entender que el cáncer sigue siendo una enfermedad con más dudas que aciertos. Muchos son los factores que inducen al desarrollo de esta enfermedad, desde genéticos, virales, inmunológicos, inductores químicos, radioactivos, etc, entre los cuales está siendo ubicada la dieta. Las carnes, se sabe, por contener sustancias como el Hemo, o altas cantidades de hierro, además de otros componentes cancerígenos, como son las grasas saturadas, en general son considerads inductoras de ciertos cánceres.
Por otro lado, los vegetales, por su contenido en clofofila, presencia de vitaminas antioxidantes, polifenoles antioxidantes (como son los flavonoides, antocianinas, etc), baja cantidad de hierro, ausencia de hemoglobina y de mioglobina, presencia de clorofila, fibras, por citar algunos de los conocidos componentes, sigue siendo considerados como protectivos en gran parte de los cánceres más comunes.
El review confirma la tendencia de investigaciones, en cuanto a las propiedades protectivas de los vegetales en la dieta en clara contraposición de las carnes.

© 2011 Lanou and Svenson, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd