Broccoli and Tea Fight Ovarian Cancer

A study from Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital has found that regular consumption of foods containing the flavonoid kaempferol, including non-herbal tea and broccoli, was associated with a reduced risk for ovarian cancer.

The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, also found a decreased risk in women who consumed large amounts of the flavonoid luteolin, found in carrots, peppers and cabbage.

"This is good news, because there are few lifestyle factors known to reduce a woman's risk of ovarian cancer," said first author Margaret Gates, a research fellow at the hospital.

"Although additional research is required, these findings suggest that consuming a diet rich in flavonoids may be protective."

"Other flavonoid-rich foods, such as onions, beans and kale, may also decrease ovarian cancer risk, but the number of women who frequently consumed these foods was not large enough to clearly evaluate these associations. More research is needed," concluded Gates, who is also a research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Pancreatic Surgery Increases Survival Rates

A surgical procedure for pancreatic cancer is not regularly considered, according to cancer surgeon Mark Talamonti, MD. Nearly 40% of patients with early stage pancreatic cancer are not offered surgery, even though the five-year survival rate is 25% higher for patients who have the operation. Called the Whipple procedure, the surgery takes about eight hours and removes most or all of the pancreas, part of the intestine, the gallbladder and part of a bile duct. Post-surgery treatment includes chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Risk of death from surgery has fallen from 25% to 3% in major cancer centers that perform this surgery frequently.