Surprising Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men and it is becoming increasingly clear that environmental and cultural factors are intimately tied in with the incidence of the disease.
 Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have just released a major study in which they compare the mortality rate from prostate cancer in 59 countries with a variety of environmental, dietary, and socioeconomic factors. 
They conclude that a high overall calorie (energy) intake, a high intake of total fat and animal products (specifically milk, meat and poultry), living in an affluent society, and having good access to medical care are associated with an increased mortality from prostate cancer. On the other hand, living in relative poverty (country with low GNP), eating lots of cereals, soybeans, nuts and oilseeds, and consuming fish is strongly correlated with a lower rate of death from prostate cancer. 
Thus a high intake of cereals was associated with a 31.4 per cent lower mortality and a high intake of animal products associated with a 23.8 per cent higher mortality. Milk consumption, but not butter and cheese, was found to be very strongly related to increased prostate cancer mortality, while the consumption of soybean-based products (soymilk, tofu, tempeh and miso) was found to be strongly related to decreased mortality. 
Members of the Brassica family of vegetables (kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi and broccoli) were also found to be highly protective as were breads containing flaxseeds, rye and buckwheat flour.
Hebert, James R., et al. Nutritional and socioeconomic factors in relation to prostate cancer mortality: a cross-national study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 90, November 4, 1998, pp. 1637-47