Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables may reduce lymph cancer risk

Increased intakes of antioxidant -rich food may reduce the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma by about 30 percent, says a new study.

In the study, dietary intakes of 35,159 US women aged between 55 and 69 were analyzed (1). During the course of the study 415 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma were documented. Dietary vitamin C intakes were associated with a 22 percent reduction in lymphoma risk, while carotenoids (e.g., alpha-carotene) and manganese were associated with 29 and 38 percent reductions in risk. Increased intakes of fruits and vegetables were associated with a 31 percent reduction in risk, while yellow/orange and cruciferous vegetables were linked to a 28 and 18 percent reduction.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system and encompasses about 29 different forms of lymphoma. According to the American Cancer Society, over 50,000 new cases are diagnosed in the US every year.

1. Thompson C.A. et al. Antioxidant intake from fruits, vegetables and other sources and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the Iowa Women's Health Study. International Journal of Cancer. 2010; 126(4):992–1003.