Hold the Cheese, Halt Cancer

by PCRM

Testicular cancer is among the most common cancers in men between 20 and 45 years of age. A study from the University of Ottawa shows that a high intake of dairy products, particularly cheese, as well as baked goods and luncheon meats, may contribute to its development. Researchers collected data from 601 testicular cancer cases and 744 population-based controls from eight Canadian provinces between 1994 and 1997, examining nutrients, food groups, and particular foods using food-frequency questionnaires. It is suspected that female sex hormones found in dairy products could play a role.

Garner MJ, Birkett NJ, Johnson KC, Shatenstein B, Ghadirian P, Krewski D. Dietary risk factors for testicular carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2003;106:934-41.

A second study found that calcium may play a role in cancer development, especially for prostate cancer. As part of the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, researchers examined the association between calcium, dairy intake, and prostate cancer incidence, asking 65,321 male participants to complete detailed questionnaires on diet, medical history, and lifestyle. Total calcium intake (from diet and supplements) was associated with modestly increased risk of prostate cancer. High dietary calcium intake was also associated with increased risk. One potential biological mechanism is that high calcium intake down-regulates 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D, which may increase cell proliferation in the prostate.

Rodriguez C, McCullough ML, Mondul AM, et al. Calcium, dairy products, and risk of prostate cancer in a prospective cohort of United States men. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:597-603.