Fruits and Veggies May Cut Lung Cancer Risk

If you smoke, you can decrease your chance of getting lung cancer by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, according to new research released this week.

The report studied more than 450,000 Europeans of which 1,600 were diagnosed with lung cancer. Published in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, the researchers stated that consuming an assortment of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of lung cancer among smokers.

In the study, participants who ate a diet that contained a diverse mix of fruits and vegetables appeared to have a 27% lowered risk of getting squamous cell carcinoma - a common type of lung cancer, the scientists reported. The fruits included fresh, dried and canned fruits but excluded nuts, seeds and olives.

Dr. Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment: "Fruits and vegetables contain many different bioactive compounds and it makes sense to assume that it is important that you not only eat the recommended amounts, but also consume a rich mix of these bioactive compounds by consuming a large variety."

The results show the protective effect from cancer-causing agents in cigarettes but the only true way to greatly reduce the risk of lung cancer is to completely quit smoking. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK (after breast cancer) and almost 40,000 new cases are reported each year.

This is the first study that shows the influence of diversity of fruits and vegetables over quantity.