BMC Gastroenterol

Cruciferous vegetables: A dietary defense against colon cancer?

August 18, 2025

Study details: This 2025 dose–response meta-analysis pooled data from 17 studies (7 cohort, 10 case-control), encompassing 97,595 patients, to evaluate the association between cruciferous vegetable (CV) consumption and colon cancer (CC) risk.

Results: Higher CV intake was inversely correlated with CC risk (pooled odds ratio [OR], 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.72–0.90). The dose-response analysis revealed a progressive, non-linear reduction in risk with increasing CV consumption. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings, though heterogeneity in study design and dietary assessment methods was noted.

Clinical impact: These results reinforce the chemopreventive potential of CVs, supporting dietary recommendations for increased intake as part of a colon cancer prevention strategy. However, interpretation should be cautious due to methodological limitations and residual confounding.

Source:

Lai B, et al. (2025, August 11). BMC Gastroenterol. Cruciferous vegetables intake and risk of colon cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12337427/