Cruciferous vegetables and colorectal cancer.

Colon cancer risk: Data about the relation between cruciferous vegetables and colon cancer risk was provided by a pooled analysis of 14 cohort studies (29), and one additional cohort (4). No associations were found.
Rectal cancer risk: Data about the relation with rectal cancer risk was provided by 4 cohorts. A significantly increased risk among women - but not men - was found in one cohort (9). And in one other cohort the RR was far above 1 for women, but no data about significance was provided (6). No associations were found in the remaining cohorts (4, 6 [men]).
Colorectal cancer risk: Data from articles about 6 cohorts was not stratified by cancer site (though information about colon cancer was sometimes used by the pooled analysis: 13, 23).
A significantly increased risk of colorectal cancer risk was found in the smallest cohort examining men only (13). But no associations of high vs low consumption were found in the remaining 3 cohorts (16, 18, 23, 27, 30). Few associations were found with intermediate levels of consumption (27 [men], and 30 [women]), and the level of consumption for this effect was not always defined (30).
Mortality: Data about colorectal cancer mortality was provided by 2 cohorts.
A protective effect against colon cancer mortality was found in the largest cohort (7), but no information was provided about the strength, and significance of the association, and no adjustments for possible confounders were made.

Conclusion: Findings about cruciferous vegetables in relation to rectal cancer, and total colorectal risk are inconsistent, and no association was found with colon cancer risk. Data about mortality is limited. Inconclusive evidence was found for an association between cruciferous vegetables and colorectal, colon, or rectal cancer.

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