Fruit and vegetables consumption is directly associated to survival after prostate cancer

Abstract

Scope: Since the evidence on the role of diet on prostate cancer (PCa) prognosis is still controversial, we evaluated the long-term effects of fruit and vegetables consumption on survival after PCa.

Methods and results: A retrospective cohort study included 777 men with PCa diagnosed between 1995 and 2002 in north-eastern Italy and followed up to 2013. A validated food frequency questionnaire assessed the usual diet in the 2 years before PCa diagnosis, including detailed fruit and vegetables consumption. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of death with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Fine-Gray models. PCa patients with a consumption of both fruit and vegetables above the median showed a higher 15-year overall survival probability than those with lower intakes (71% versus 58%, p = 0.04; HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.47-0.93). Consumption of foods rich in fiber (HR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.41-0.86) and proanthocyanidins (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.82) were inversely associated with overall mortality. Interestingly, proanthocyanidins (HR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.27-0.98) and flavonols (HR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.19-0.84) were inversely associated also with PCa-specific mortality.

Conclusion: High consumption of fruit and vegetables offers an advantage in survival among the rising number of men living after a PCa diagnosis, possibly through the epigenetic effect of some nutrients.

Keywords: Fruit; Prostate cancer; Survival; Vegetables.