Friday Nov 28, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study published in the Nov 2008 issue of Public Health Nutrition suggests that eating allium vegetables like garlic and onions may reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.

The study found that those who consumed high amounts of garlic and onion reduced their risk of endometrial cancer by as much as 38 and 60 percent respectively compared to those who use lower amounts of the allium vegetables.

Endometrial cancer forms in the tissue lining the uterus. Most endometrial cancers are adenocarcinomas. The disease is diagnosed in 40,000 women and kills more than 7,000 in the Unites States each year, according to the National Cancer institute.

Early Chinese studies have showed the similar associations. But the current study sought to examine the possible protective effect in a Western population.

For the study, Galeone C and colleagues from   Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche 'Mario Negri' in Milan, Italy analyzed data from a multi-centre case-control study of 454 endometrial cancer cases and 908 controls who were admitted to the same hospital for acute, non-neoplastic conditions.

The participants were interviewed by trained professionals using a validated and reproducible food frequency questionnaire.

The researchers found that compared with non-users, those who used less   than 2 portions of onions per week were 6 percent less likely to develop endometrial cancer and those who ate more than or equal to 2 portions per week were 60 percent less likely to have the disease.

There was an inverse correlation between eating onions and risk of endometrial cancer.   One portion of onions (80 grams) per week was associated with a 19 percent reduction in risk of the disease.

The researchers also found that those who used moderate amounts of garlic weekly were 11 percent less likely to have endometrial cancer while those who used high amounts of garlic were at a 38 percent reduced risk of the disease.

The authors said in their report that "Our study found a moderate protective role of allium vegetables on the risk of endometrial cancer."

Source:

Public Health Nutr. 2008 Nov 6:1-4.

Allium vegetables intake and endometrial cancer risk.

Galeone C, Pelucchi C, Dal Maso L, Negri E, Montella M, Zucchetto A, Talamini R, La Vecchia C.

1Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche 'Mario Negri', Via La Masa 19, I-20156 Milan, Italy.