Flavonoids and Cancer Prevention: A Review of the Evidence

@article{Romagnolo2012FlavonoidsAC,
  title={Flavonoids and Cancer Prevention: A Review of the Evidence},
  author={Donato F. Romagnolo and Ornella I Selmin},
  journal={Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics},
  year={2012},
  volume={31},
  pages={206 - 238}
}
The objective of this work is to review data from epidemiological and preclinical studies addressing the potential benefits of diets based on flavonoids for cancer prevention. Flavonoids are subdivided into subclasses including flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanidins, and isoflavones. Epidemiological studies suggest dietary intake of flavonoids may reduce the risk of tumors of the breast, colon, lung, prostate, and pancreas. However, some studies have reported inconclusive… 
View on Taylor & Francis
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
295 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
5
Background Citations
108
Methods Citations
1
Results Citations
2

295 Citations

Intake of Individual Flavonoids and Risk of Carcinogenesis: Overview of Epidemiological Evidence
  • K. Sak
  • Medicine
    Nutrition and cancer
  • 2017
TLDR
Further large-scale prospective studies with longer follow-up times, different populations, various doses and exposure timing as well as diverse well-controlled confounders are highly needed to confirm or disprove the current epidemiological knowledge about the role of flavonoids on cancer risk.
Flavonoid-Based Cancer Therapy: An Updated Review.
TLDR
The main aim of this review is to evaluate the relationship between flavonoids consumption and cancer risk, and discus the anti-cancer effects of these natural compounds in human cancer cells.
Epigenetic activities of flavonoids in the prevention and treatment of cancer
TLDR
An overview of current research on flavonoids is given to further elucidate their potential in cancer prevention and therapy, thereby focusing on their distinct epigenetic activities.
Flavan-3-ols consumption and cancer risk: a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies
TLDR
A meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies to investigate the preventive effects of flavan-3-ols on various types of cancers indicates the potential benefits of Flavan- 3-ols in cancer prevention.
Dietary flavonoid intake and colorectal cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC) cohort
TLDR
Intake of total flavonoids and flavonoid subclasses, as estimated from dietary questionnaires, did not show any association with risk of CRC development and similar results were observed for flavonoidal intake expressed as glycosides or aglycone equivalents.
Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Thyroid Cancer Risk in the NIH–AARP Diet and Health Study
TLDR
Thyroid cancer risk was inversely associated with dietary flavan-3-ols, but positively associated with flavanones, and other classes of flavonoid and total flavonoids were not associated with thyroid cancer risk.
Flavonoids intake and risk of prostate cancer: a meta‐analysis of observational studies
TLDR
Higher intake of flavonoids may not be associated with prostate cancer risk, according to a meta‐analysis of five studies including four prospective cohort studies and one case–control study.
Flavonol Regulation in Tumor Cells
  • M. Lea
  • Biology
    Journal of cellular biochemistry
  • 2015
TLDR
Therapeutic potential of flavonols is indicated by their growth inhibitory action accompanied by a decrease in several hallmarks of cancer such as resistance to apoptosis, and many investigators are sufficiently encouraged by past observations that they are responding to the challenge to optimize the dietary and therapeutic use of Flavonols in cancer prevention and treatment.
Targeting epigenetics in cancer: therapeutic potential of flavonoids
TLDR
This review focuses on plant-derived flavonoids as a therapeutic tool for cancer, attributed to their ability for epigenetic regulation of cancer pathogenesis, and the epigenetic mechanisms of various classes of flavonoid.
Enzymatic Metabolism of Flavonoids by Gut Microbiota and Its Impact on Gastrointestinal Cancer
TLDR
Overall, metabolites produced from flavonoid’s enzymatic conversion illustrate anti-GI cancer effects, but the mechanisms of action need further clarification.
...
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 186 REFERENCES
Flavonoids and ovarian cancer risk: A case–control study in Italy
TLDR
It is inferred that isoflavones, and perhaps flavonols, may have favorable effects with respect to ovarian cancer risk, using data from a multicentric case–control study conducted in Italy between 1992 and 1999.
Dietary Flavonoids and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer
TLDR
The significant dose-dependent reductions in colorectal cancer risk that were associated with increased consumption of flavonols, quercetin, catechin, and epicatechin remained robust after controlling for overall fruit and vegetable consumption or for other flavonoid intake.
Flavonoids and Colorectal Cancer in Italy
TLDR
Support is provided for an inverse association of selected classes of flavonoids with colorectal cancer risk using recently published data on the composition of foods and beverages, in terms of six principal classes of Flavonoids, on dietary information collected through a validated food-frequency questionnaire.
A prospective study of dietary flavonoid intake and incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer
TLDR
Dietary intake of certain flavonoids may reduce ovarian cancer risk, although additional prospective studies are needed to further evaluate this association.
Flavonoids and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Study in Italy
TLDR
The results of the present study do not support a protective effect of Flavonoids on prostate cancer in this Italian population, characterized by a high intake of flavonoid-containing foods (except isoflavone-rich foods).
Flavonoids in Food and Their Health Benefits
TLDR
The current advances in flavonoids in food is reviewed, with emphasis on health aspects on the basis of the published literature, which may provide some guidance for researchers in further investigations and for industries in developing practical health agents.
Flavonoid Intake and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer in Male Smokers (Finland)
TLDR
The data suggest that a flavonoid-rich diet may decrease pancreatic cancer risk in male smokers not consuming supplemental α-tocopherol and/or β-carotene.
Flavonoids intake and risk of lung cancer: a meta-analysis.
TLDR
The data indicate that high or an increased intake of flavonoids is associated with reduced risk of lung cancer in some population but not in other population.
Dietary Flavonoids and Colorectal Adenoma Recurrence in the Polyp Prevention Trial
TLDR
The data suggest that a flavonol-rich diet may decrease the risk of advanced adenoma recurrence, and similar inverse associations were observed to a smaller extent for isoflavonoids, the Flavonol kaempferol, and the is oflavonoid genistein and formononetin.
Flavonoids and laryngeal cancer risk in Italy.
TLDR
This study provides support for a beneficial effect of selected flavonoids on laryngeal cancer risk and no consistent associations were observed for isoflavones, anthocyanidins and flavones.
...
...