Lee Swanson Research Update

Cruciferous Vegetables, Vitamin E May Boost Odds of Surviving Ovarian Cancer

December 2003

Cruciferous vegetables and vitamin E should be at the top of the nutritional list for women in the early stages of ovarian cancer, according to a population-based case-control study conducted in Australia.

Ovarian cancer survival rates tend to be good if the cancer is caught at an early stage, but the disease is difficult to diagnose and only 25% of cases are detected at an early stage. That means any attempts to enhance the survival rate should be encouraged.

Scientists at the University of Queensland Medical School examined the influence of diet on outcomes once ovarian cancer had been diagnosed. The research team gathered data, via a food frequency questionnaire, on the food intake of 609 women one year prior to being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They then examined the survival rate of the subjects over the next five years.

Subjects who survived the longest had the highest intake of vegetables. In particular, cruciferous vegetables and foods that were rich in vitamin E seemed to confer the best survival lengths.

Researchers concluded that "although much remains to be learned about the influence of nutritional factors after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, our study suggests the possibility that a diet high in vegetable intake may help improve survival."

International Journal of Cancer 106(2):264-269, 2003

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