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Nutritional Epidemiology of Cancer

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2025) | Viewed by 6834

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nerea Becerra-Tomás

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Nutrition and Mental Health (NUTRISAM) Research Group, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain
Interests: nutritional epidemiology; Mediterranean diet; nuts; legumes; cancer; diabetes; cardiovascular disease; systematic review; meta-analysis
Dr. Magdalena Stepien

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Via E. Fermi, 2749, I-21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
Interests: nutrition; epidemiology; cancer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new Special Issue of Nutrients entitled the “Nutritional Epidemiology of Cancer”.

Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide, with 20 million new cases and 9.7 million cancer-related deaths recorded in 2022, according to the latest GLOBOCAN estimates. It is worth noting that most types of cancer can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle. In this context, the influence of nutrition on the prevention and management of cancer is undeniable. Nevertheless, when it comes to dietary recommendations, the scientific evidence of the impact of nutrition on cancer development has been judged to be convincingly causal or protective for only a limited number of nutrients or food groups. Hence, this Special Issue seeks to further clarify the association between nutrition and cancer in order to provide high-quality evidence that can be used as a basis for developing dietary recommendations for cancer prevention.

All studies (cohort studies, case–control studies, Mendelian randomization studies, randomized trials, reviews, meta-analyses, and umbrella reviews) focusing on the role of diet (food groups, dietary patterns, nutrients, dietary components) in the development of cancer are welcome.

Dr. Nerea Becerra-Tomás
Dr. Magdalena Stepien
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • diet
  • nutrition
  • bioactive compounds
  • phytochemicals
  • cancer prevention

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 359 KB  
Article
Association Between Dietary Folate and Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Among African Americans and European Americans
by Lihchyun Joseph Su, Sarah O’Connor, Daniela Ramirez Aguilar, MinJae Lee, Harrison Wong, Hui-Yi Lin, Jeannette T. Bensen, James L. Mohler, Lenore Arab, Longgang Zhao, Ebonee N. Butler, Laura Farnan and Susan E. Steck
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 748; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050748 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 606
Abstract
Background: Despite the confirmed beneficial effects on preventing neural tube defects, concerns about high intakes of synthetic folate, or folic acid, in promoting cancer progression have been raised. This study evaluated the association between folate intake and prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness among African-American [...] Read more.
Background: Despite the confirmed beneficial effects on preventing neural tube defects, concerns about high intakes of synthetic folate, or folic acid, in promoting cancer progression have been raised. This study evaluated the association between folate intake and prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness among African-American (AA) and European-American (EA) males. Methods: This study included 722 AA and 775 EA men with prostate cancer. Folate intake (dietary folate equivalent (DFE), synthetic folate, natural folate) was estimated using the National Cancer Institute Dietary History Questionnaire and detailed dietary supplement use questionnaire. Analyses included univariable comparisons of demographic and clinical characteristics of the two racial groups using the t-test or its non-parametric counterpart, the Wilcoxon test for continuous variables, and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations of each source of folate intake with PCa aggressiveness. Interaction effects between folate intake levels and racial groups were tested to evaluate if the association between folate intake and PCa differed by racial groups. Results: A greater proportion of AA subjects were diagnosed with high PCa aggressiveness compared to EAs (31.6% vs. 21.7%; p < 0.001). Both AAs and EAs had associations between decreased DFE intake and PCa aggressiveness after adjusting for covariates. Among AAs, men with the highest quartile levels of synthetic folate intake had higher odds of high-aggressive PCa compared to those with the lowest levels of intake (adj. OR = 1.39; p = 0.27), while the reversed association became stronger among EAs (adj. OR = 0.62; p = 0.14). Conclusions: The association between folate intake and prostate cancer aggressiveness appears to be source-specific and modified by race. These findings highlight the need for population-informed nutritional guidance and further investigation into nutrient–gene and dietary pattern interactions in prostate cancer progression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Epidemiology of Cancer)
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15 pages, 469 KB  
Article
Dietary Inflammatory Index and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Japanese Men
by Ayaka Kotemori, Kumiko Kito, Motoki Iwasaki, Taiki Yamaji, James R. Hébert, Junko Ishihara, Manami Inoue, Shoichiro Tsugane and Norie Sawada
Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020338 - 21 Jan 2026
Viewed by 773
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Unhealthy lifestyles lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. Few studies in East Asia have examined the association between the dietary inflammation potential and colorectal cancer incidence. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this association further in the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Unhealthy lifestyles lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. Few studies in East Asia have examined the association between the dietary inflammation potential and colorectal cancer incidence. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this association further in the Japanese population. Methods: This study included 38,807 men aged 45–74 years who participated in the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study (JPHC Study). The energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) was derived from a food frequency questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Differences in risk due to a combination of E-DII and lifestyle were examined using interaction term. Results: During 14 years of follow-up, 1415 colorectal cancer cases occurred. A tendency to increased colorectal cancer risk was observed with consumption of pro-inflammatory diets among Japanese men (adjusted HR [95% CI] for the highest quintile: 1.20 [0.99–1.46], p trend = 0.08), with a significantly increased risk of colon cancer (HR: 1.28 [1.01–1.63], p trend = 0.03). A possible interaction was observed with alcohol consumption (p = 0.07), which was statistically significant for proximal colon cancer (HR: 1.14 [1.05–1.25] in drinkers; p interaction = 0.01). No significant interactions with other lifestyle factors were found. Conclusions: Consumption of pro-inflammatory diets increases colorectal cancer risk among Japanese men; alcohol consumption further increases this risk for drinkers. These findings suggest that colorectal cancer may be prevented through dietary modification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Epidemiology of Cancer)
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18 pages, 674 KB  
Article
Diabetes-Related Dietary Patterns and Endometrial Cancer Risk and Survival in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study
by Luisa Torres-Laiton, Leila Luján-Barroso, Núria Nadal-Zaragoza, Carlota Castro-Espin, Paula Jakszyn, Camilla Panico, Charlotte Le Cornet, Christina C. Dahm, Dafina Petrova, Daniel Ángel Rodríguez-Palacios, Franziska Jannasch, Giovanna Masala, Laure Dossus, Lisa Padroni, Marcela Guevara, Matthias B. Schulze, Renée T. Fortner, Rosario Tumino and Marta Crous-Bou
Nutrients 2025, 17(10), 1645; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17101645 - 12 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2457
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Endometrial cancer (EC)’s major risk factors include obesity and diabetes, both strongly related with lifestyle choices and dietary factors. Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between diabetes-related dietary patterns, EC risk, and survival in a population of middle-aged European women. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Endometrial cancer (EC)’s major risk factors include obesity and diabetes, both strongly related with lifestyle choices and dietary factors. Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between diabetes-related dietary patterns, EC risk, and survival in a population of middle-aged European women. Methods: A total of 285,418 female participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study were included in the analysis. After a mean time of 10.6 years of follow-up, 1955 incident EC cases were registered; of those, 133 women died from EC. The Empirical Dietary Index for Insulin Resistance (EDIR), the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH), and the Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet (DRRD), were estimated from dietary information collected at baseline from EPIC participants. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association between the dietary patterns and EC risk, using hazard ratios (HR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and adjusting for relevant confounders. Cox and Fine–Gray models were used to assess the association with overall and EC-specific mortality, respectively. Results: Higher adherence to EDIR was associated with an increased risk of EC, multivariable HR for T3vsT1 were 1.17 (95% CI = 1.04 to1.31). However, when BMI was included in the models, these associations became weaker and no longer statistically significant. No associations were observed in relation to adherence to EDIH, DRRD, and EC risk. No associations were found in relation to diabetes-related dietary patterns and mortality. Conclusions: This study highlights the potential role of diabetes related dietary patterns and EC etiology and prevention. Further studies are warranted to better understand the role of etiology-derived dietary patterns and disease prevention and prognosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Epidemiology of Cancer)
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Review

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16 pages, 614 KB  
Review
The Impact of Dietary Intake of Furocoumarins and Furocoumarin-Rich Foods on the Risk of Cutaneous Melanoma: A Systematic Review
by Isabelle Kaiser, Anja Rappl, Lena S. Bolay, Annette B. Pfahlberg, Markus V. Heppt and Olaf Gefeller
Nutrients 2025, 17(8), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17081296 - 8 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2257
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Furocoumarins, chemical compounds found in many plant species, have a photosensitizing effect on the skin when applied topically and, by interacting with ultraviolet radiation (UVR), stimulate melanoma cells to proliferate. Whether dietary intake of furocoumarins acts as a melanoma risk factor has [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Furocoumarins, chemical compounds found in many plant species, have a photosensitizing effect on the skin when applied topically and, by interacting with ultraviolet radiation (UVR), stimulate melanoma cells to proliferate. Whether dietary intake of furocoumarins acts as a melanoma risk factor has been investigated in several epidemiological studies, which are synthesized in our systematic review. Methods: The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42023428596). We conducted an in-depth literature search in three databases coupled with forward and backward citation tracking and expert consultations to identify all epidemiological studies, irrespective of their design, addressing the association between a furocoumarin-containing diet and melanoma risk. We extracted information on the study details and results in a standardized manner and evaluated the risk of bias of the results using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s critical appraisal tools. Results: We identified 20 publications based on 19 different studies providing information on the association between dietary furocoumarin intake and melanoma risk. We refrained from a meta-analytical synthesis of the results because of the large heterogeneity in exposure assessment, operationalization of furocoumarin intake in the analyses, and analytical methods of the studies. In a qualitative synthesis, we found moderate evidence supporting the notion that dietary furocoumarin intake at higher levels acts as a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. Conclusions: Our systematic review provides an overview of the current epidemiological evidence, but it could not clearly answer whether and to what extent dietary furocoumarin intake increases melanoma risk. Future epidemiological analyses focusing on this topic require more comprehensive dietary and UVR exposure data to better characterize the individual total furocoumarin intake and its interplay with UVR exposure patterns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Epidemiology of Cancer)
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