title: Dietary isoflavones and gastric cancer: A brief review of current studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although several in vitro and animal studies have suggested that isoflavones might exert inhibitory effects on gastric carcinogenesis, epidemiologic studies have reported inconclusive results in this field. The aim of this brief review was to investigate whether such an association exists among dietary isoflavones and gastric cancer incidence, prevention, and mortality in epidemiologic studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Science direct, and Iranian Scientific Databases including Scientific Information Database and IranMedex Database (up to November 2014) using common keywords for studies that focused on dietary isoflavones and gastric cancer risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of nine epidemiologic studies consisting of five case-controls, three prospective cohorts, and one ecologic study were included in this review. An inverse association between dietary isoflavones and gastric cancer was shown in only one case-control and one ecologic study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, whether anticarcinogenic properties of isoflavones are established, research found no substantial correlation in this field. There are insufficient studies to draw any firm conclusions about the relationship between isoflavones intake and the risk of gastric cancer. Hence, further evidence from cohort and trial studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Golpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rafie
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Morteza
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Safavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miraghajani
keywords: Dietary isoflavones; flavonoids; gastric cancer