Phytochemicals for the prevention of breast and endometrial cancer

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Abstract
Observations of dietary and cultural differences in the spectrum of tumor types and incidence underlie the growing interest in the role of phytochemicals in cancer prevention. The relatively lower risk of breast and endometrial cancer in some Asian populations compared to Western women is well documented [ 1 - 3 ] (figure 1). The observation that the risk of breast cancer increases in Asian immigrants to the U.S. [ 4 ] and in urban subpopulations within Japan [ 5 ] suggests that epigenetic factors are responsible for the difference. American-born children of Asian immigrants have a 60% higher risk of developing breast cancer [ 4 ] relative to Asian immigrants born in Asia. This finding may reflect degree of assimilation into Western habits and/or a risk factor exerting an adverse effect during development. The increase in breast cancer that occurs in Asians who consume typically `Western’ foods also implicates diet as a cause for the lower incidence of breast cancer [ 5 ]. Asian diets typically contain less fat and a higher proportion of vegetables, including soy products, when compared to Western diets. Demographic evidence for a role of diet in endometrial cancer is not as well explored; however, epidemiologic and animal studies indicate a protective effect of vegetable intake [ 6 , 7 ].