Role of Mammalian Lignans in the Prevention and Treatment of Prostate Cancer.

Key Findings

This review article assessed the role of lignans in prostate cancer which is the third most common cancer in men. Epidemiological studies have shown that, although the incidence of noninvasive prostate cancer in Asian societies is similar to that in Western society, the incidence of invasive cancer and associated mortality is lower. There is some evidence suggesting that the differences in diet between Eastern and Western cultures are responsible for the dramatic difference in the incidence of prostate cancer. The research reviewed suggests that it may be possible that intervention with lignans in men with prostate cancer will reduce the need for radical procedures such as prostectomy or reduce the chance of relapse. Future in vivo studies should use purified lignans, account for the role of fat in prostate cancer, include measurement of lignans in prostatic fluid, and be of sufficient sample size to be statistically significant. This will clarify if lignans possess any value in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.

ABSTRACT

Prostate cancer is poised to become the most prevalent male cancer in the Western world. In Japan and China, incidence rates are almost 10-fold less those reported in the United States and the European Union. Epidemiological data suggest that environmental factors such as diet can significantly influence the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer. The differences in lifestyle between East and West are one of the major risk factors for developing prostate cancer.  Traditional Japanese and Chinese diets are rich in foods containing phytoestrogenic compounds, whereas the Western diet is a poor source of these phytochemicals. The lignan phytoestrogens are the most widely occurring of these compounds.  In vitro and in vivo reports in the literature indicate that lignans have the capacity to affect the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. However, their precise mechanism of action in prostate carcinogenesis remains unclear. This article outlines the possible role of lignans in prostate cancer by reviewing the current in vitro and in vivo evidence for their anticancer activities. The intriguing concept that lignans may play a role in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer over the lifetime of an individual is discussed.