THURSDAY, Feb. 16, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Plant-based diets are associated with a reduced risk for prostate cancer (PC) progression and recurrence, according to a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held from Feb. 16 to 18 in San Francisco.

Vivian N. Liu, from the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues examined 2,038 men diagnosed with T1 to T3a PC who had completed a food frequency questionnaire a median of 31.5 months after diagnosis. Overall and healthy plant-based dietary indices (PDI and hPDI, respectively) were calculated, and the associations with PC progression and recurrence were examined.

The researchers identified 204 progression events during a median follow-up of 7.4 years; 169 were due to biochemical recurrence. Compared with men in the lowest quintile of PDI, those in the highest quintile had a significantly lower risk for PC progression and recurrence (hazard ratios, 0.48 and 0.47, respectively). hPDI was not associated with PC progression or recurrence overall, but a significant reduction in the risk for recurrence was seen for men in the higher quintiles. Greater consumption of a healthful plant-based diet was associated with a lower risk for PC recurrence among men aged 65 years or older (hazard ratio, 0.41). Furthermore, among those with a brisk/fast walking pace, the risk for progression and recurrence was lower for men in the highest PDI quintile (hazard ratios, 0.33 and 0.41, respectively).

“We’ve known that diets that include vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains are associated with numerous health benefits, including a reduction in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality,” Liu said in a statement. “We can now add benefits in reducing prostate cancer progression to that list.”

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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