title: Legume intake and the risk of cancer: a multisite case-control study in Uruguay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have suggested that a high intake of legumes may decrease the risk of stomach and prostate cancer and some other cancers. However, the evidence is still limited. To further explore the association between legume intake and cancer risk we conducted a case-control study of 11 cancer sites in Uruguay between 1996 and 2004, including 3,539 cancer cases and 2,032 hospital controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest versus the lowest tertile of legume intake was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.34-0.68), esophagus (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38-0.77), larynx (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40-0.77), upper aerodigestive tract (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.40-0.63), stomach (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.49-0.97), colorectum (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.32-0.59), kidney (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.71), and all sites combined (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.59-0.78). No significant association was observed between legume intake and cancers of the lung (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.83-1.27), breast (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.65-1.20), prostate (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.64-1.18) or bladder (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.57-1.17). Similar results were found for both beans and lentils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher intake of legumes was associated with a decreased risk of several cancers including those of the upper aerodigestive tract, stomach, colorectum, and kidney, but not lung, breast, prostate or bladder. Further investigations of these associations in prospective cohort studies are warranted.
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1122, 0317, Oslo, Norway. dagfinn.aune@medisin.uio.no
authors: Dagfinn
authors: D
authors: Aune
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: De Stefani
authors: Alvaro
authors: A
authors: Ronco
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Boffetta
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Deneo-Pellegrini
authors: Giselle
authors: G
authors: Acosta
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Mendilaharsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D007887:Fabaceae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires