Dietary
phytoestrogens are suggested to reduce the risk of prostate and
colorectal cancer, but the results of epidemiologic studies have not yielded consistent support for this proposed effect, possibly due to inadequate databases of
phytoestrogen levels in foods.
Biomarkers of
phytoestrogen intakes may provide a clearer insight into the relationship between
phytoestrogen exposure and the risk of prostate or
colorectal cancer risks. From the European Prospective into
Cancer-Norfolk cohort (ages 45-75), serum and urine samples were analyzed for seven
phytoestrogens [
daidzein,
enterodiol,
enterolactone,
genistein,
glycitein,
O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA), and
equol] among 193 cases of
prostate cancer and 828 controls, and 221 cases of
colorectal cancer with 889 controls. Summary variables of total
lignans (
enterodiol and
enterolactone) and total
isoflavones (
daidzein,
genistein, O-DMA,
equol, and
glycitein) were created and analyzed in conjunction with individual
phytoestrogens. Logistic regression analyses revealed that there was no significant association between
prostate cancer risk and total serum
isoflavones [odds ratio (OR), 1.01; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93-1.10] or total serum
lignans (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.86-1.04) or between
colorectal cancer risk and total serum
isoflavones (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.94-1.08) or total serum
lignans (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.94-1.12). Similarly, null associations were observed for individual serum
phytoestrogens and for all urinary
phytoestrogen biomarkers. In conclusion, we have found no evidence to support an inverse association between
phytoestrogen exposure and prostate or
colorectal cancer risk.