Allium vegetables and risk of prostate cancer: evidence from 132,192 subjects

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#allium #case-control-studies #humans #male #prognosis

Allium vegetables and risk of prostate cancer: evidence from 132,192 subjects

Zhou et al., 2013 | Asian Pac J Cancer Prev | Meta Analysis

Citation

Zhou Xiao-Feng, Ding Zhen-Shan, Liu Nai-Bo. Allium vegetables and risk of prostate cancer: evidence from 132,192 subjects. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2013;14(7):4131-4

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between allium vegetable intake and risk of prostate cancer. METHODS: A systematic literature search up to May 2013 was carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane register, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, and the references of retrieved articles were also screened. The summary relative risks with 95% confidence interval for the highest versus the lowest intake of allium vegetables were calculated. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of nine epidemiological studies consisting of six case-control and three prospective cohort studies were included. We found a significantly decreased risk of prostate cancer for intake of allium vegetables (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.70, 0.97). Moreover, in the subgroup analysis stratified by allium vegetable types, significant associations were observed for garlic (OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.91) but not onions (OR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.62-1.13). CONCLUSIONS: Allium vegetables, especially garlic intake, are related to decreased risk of prostate cancer. Because of the limited number of studies, further well-designed prospective studies are warranted to confirm the findings of our study.

Key Findings

A total of nine epidemiological studies consisting of six case-control and three prospective cohort studies were included. We found a significantly decreased risk of prostate cancer for intake of allium vegetables (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.70, 0.97). Moreover, in the subgroup analysis stratified by allium vegetable types, significant associations were observed for garlic (OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.91) but not onions (OR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.62-1.13).

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Allium
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prostatic Neoplasms
  • Risk Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis
  • Vertical: garlic

Provenance

  • PMID: 23991965
  • DOI: (not available)
  • PMCID: Not in PMC
  • Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09