Dietary catechins and cancer incidence: the Iowa Women's Health Study
Arts, I.C.W.; Jacobs, D.R.; Folsom, A.R.
IARC Scientific Publications 156: 353-355
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5038 PMID: 12484204 Document Number: 545899
To explore the association between catechin intake and incidence of digestive tract cancers, a cohort of 34 651 postmenopausal cancer-free women from Iowa, USA (aged 55-69 years) was followed between 1986 and 1998. Catechin intake derived from tea and other sources was measured. The average catechin intake at baseline was 25.4 mg/day (range, 0-278 mg/d). Major contributors to the total intake of catechins were tea (59%), and apples and pears (26%). Chocolate, fruits other than apples and pears, wines and legumes were minor catechin sources. After 13 years of follow-up, 5038 incident primary cancers were recorded, including cancers of the upper digestive tract (n=176), colon (n=635) and rectum (n=132). After adjustment for potential confounders, only rectal cancer showed a statistically significant inverse association with catechin intake. After adjustment for confounders and for (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin intake, intake of mainly tea-derived catechins was inversely associated with the risk of rectal cancer (P=0.02), whereas the intake of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin was not (P=0.75). It is concluded that catechins probably do not play a major role in the prevention of digestive tract cancer, thought it may lower the risk of rectal cancer.