Vegan diet may cut risk of prostate cancer

June 9, 2000

LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - Men who eat a vegan diet have lower levels

of a protein associated with prostate cancer, British scientists said on

Thursday.

Researchers at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in Oxford said that

while further investigation was needed, their findings suggested that a

diet without meat or dairy products could reduce the risk of contracting

the deadly disease.

Earlier studies have suggested that high levels of IGF-I -- an

insulin-like growth factor -- could play a key role in causing prostate

cancer.

The Oxford study of 696 British men found IGF-I levels were nine percent

lower in vegans than in meat-eaters and seven percent lower than in

vegetarians. Meat-eaters were defined as men who ate meat on most days of

the week.

The study, published in this week's British Journal of Cancer, also said

previous research had found prostate cancer rates were generally lower in

countries with low consumption of meat and dairy products.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in British men.

Each year, the disease kills about 9,500 men and about 21,000 new cases

are diagnosed.

11:10 06-08-00

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