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. 2014 Apr 30;100(1):11–26. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.077743

TABLE 1.

Epidemiologic studies on the association between polyphenol biomarkers and cancer1

Cancer site and polyphenol class Biomarker Specimen Type of study Country Population Cases Sex Age Follow-up Type of variable Association 2 Ref
n n % females y y
Breast
 Flavanols EC, ECG, EGC, EGCG Plasma Nested CC Japan 432 144 100 40–69 10.6 Tertiles — NS (47)
 Flavanols EC, EGC, metabolites Urine Nested CC China 1054 353 100 40–70 7 Tertiles — NS (48)
 Flavanones Hesperetin and naringenin Urine CC China 500 250 100 25–64 Tertiles — NS (49)
 Flavonols Quercetin, kaempferol Urine Nested CC China 1054 353 100 40–70 7 Tertiles — NS (48)
 Isoflavonoids GEN Plasma Nested CC Japan 432 144 100 40–69 10.6 Quartiles 0.34 (0.16, 0.74)3 0.02 (50)
 Isoflavonoids DAI Plasma Nested CC Japan 432 144 100 40–69 10.6 Quartiles — NS (50)
 Isoflavonoids GEN Plasma Nested CC Netherlands 766 383 100 35–70 6.5 Tertiles 0.68 (0.47, 0.98) 0.07 (51)
 Isoflavonoids Equol Urine Nested CC UK 333 114 100 45–75 8 Log2 1.34 (1.06, 1.70) 0.013 (52)
 Isoflavonoids DAI Serum Nested CC UK 284 97 100 45–75 8 Log2 1.22 (1.01, 1.48) 0.044 (52)
 Isoflavonoids GEN Serum Nested CC UK 284 97 100 45–75 8 Log2 — NS (52)
 Isoflavonoids Equol Serum Nested CC UK 284 97 100 45–75 8 Log2 1.46 (1.05, 2.02) 0.024 (52)
 Isoflavonoids GLY Urine CC China 120 60 100 25–64 — Tertiles 0.41 (0.15, 1.11) 0.06 (53)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones, DAI, GEN, equol, O-DMA Urine CC China 120 60 100 25–64 — Tertiles — NS (53)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones (DAI, DH-DAI, GEN, DH-GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA) Urine CC China 334 117 100 25–64 — Tertiles 0.46 (0.22, 0.95) 0.04 (54)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans ENL and GEN Urine Nested CC Netherlands 356 88 100 50–64 9 Tertiles — NS (55)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones (DAI, DH-DAI, GEN, DH-GEN, GLY, O-DMA) Urine CC China 500 250 100 25–64 — Tertiles 0.62 (0.39, 0.99) 0.04 (49)
 Isoflavonoids Equol Urine CC Australia 288 144 100 30–84 — Quartiles 0.27 (0.10, 0.69) 0.009 (56)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones (DAI, GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA) Urine Nested CC UK 1189 237 100 45–75 9.5 Log2 1.08 (1.00, 1.16) 0.055 (57)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones (DAI, GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA) Serum Nested CC UK 1064 213 100 45–75 9.5 Log2 — NS (57)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, GLY, O-DMA, equol, END, ENL Plasma Nested CC Netherlands 766 383 100 35–70 6.5 Tertiles — NS (51)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, GEN, GLY, O-DMA, END, ENL Urine Nested CC UK 333 114 100 45–75 8 Log2 — NS (52)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans GLY, END, ENL Serum Nested CC UK 284 97 100 45–75 8 Log2 — NS (52)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, END, matairesinol Urine CC Australia 288 144 100 30–84 — Quartiles — NS (56)
 Lignans Total lignans (END, ENL) Urine CC China 334 117 100 25–64 — Tertiles — NS (56)
 Lignans Total lignans (END, ENL) Urine CC China 500 250 100 25–64 — Tertiles 0.40 (0.24, 0.64) <0.001 (49)
 Lignans Total lignans (END, ENL) Urine Nested CC UK 1189 237 100 45–75 9.5 Log2 NS (57)
 Lignans Total lignans (END, ENL) Serum Nested CC UK 1064 213 100 45–75 9.5 Log2 — NS (57)
 Lignans ENL Plasma Nested CC Sweden 740 248 100 25–64 10 Quintiles NS (58)
 Lignans ENL Plasma CC Finland 402 194 100 25–75 — Quintiles 0.38 (0.18, 0.77) 0.03 (59)
 Lignans ENL Urine CC Australia 288 144 100 30–84 — Quartiles 0.36 (0.15, 0.86) 0.013 (56)
Breast (cont'd)
 Polyphenols (total) Phenols Urine CC China 120 60 100 25–64 — Tertiles — NS (52)
Prostate
 Isoflavonoids GEN, DAI, equol Serum Nested CC Japan 191 40 0 >40 9 Tertiles — NS (60)
 Isoflavonoids DAI Urine Nested CC USA 653 249 0 45–75 1.9 Quintiles 0.55 (0.31, 0.98) 0.03 (61)
 Isoflavonoids GEN, equol Urine Nested CC USA 653 249 0 45–75 1.9 Quintiles NS (61)
 Isoflavonoids GEN Plasma Nested CC Europe 1992 950 0 43–76 4.2 Quintiles 0.74 (0.54, 1.00) 0.05 (62)
 Isoflavonoids DAI, equol Plasma Nested CC Europe 1992 950 0 43–76 4.2 Quintiles — NS (62)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones, DAI, GEN, equol Plasma CC Scotland 454 249 0 50–74 — Quartiles — NS (63)
 Isoflavonoids DAI, GEN, GLY, equol Plasma Nested CC Japan 603 201 0 40–69 12.8 Tertiles — NS (64)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA, END, ENL Plasma Nested CC UK 1006 191 0 45–75 9 Log2 — NS (65)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA, END, ENL Urine Nested CC UK 817 152 0 45–75 9 Log2 — NS (65)
 Lignans ENL Urine Nested CC USA 653 249 0 45–75 1.9 Quintiles — NS (61)
 Lignans END, ENL Plasma Nested CC Europe 1992 950 0 43–76 4.2 Quintiles — NS (62)
 Lignans ENL Plasma CC Scotland 454 249 0 50–74 — Quartiles 0.40 (0.22, 0.71) 0.002 (63)
 Lignans ENL Plasma Nested CC Finland, Sweden, Norway 3344 794 0 25–64 14.2 Quartiles — NS (66)
Uterine fibroids
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones (DAI, GEN, equol, O-DMA) Urine CC USA 340 168 100 20–75 — Quartiles — NS (67)
 Lignans Total lignans (END, ENL) Urine CC USA 343 170 100 20–75 — Quartiles 0.47 (0.23, 0.98) 0.07 (67)
Endometrium
 Alkylresorcinols Alkylresorcinols (17:0, 19:0, 21:0, 23:0, 25:0) Plasma Case-cohort Denmark 329 177 100 50–64 11 Quartiles — NS (68)
Esophagus
 Flavanols EGC + 4´-MeEGC + EC + metabolites Urine Nested CC China 251 42 0 45–64 12 Quartiles — NS (69)
Stomach
 Flavanols EC Plasma Nested CC Japan 662 331 0 40–69 14 Tertiles 2.06 (1.23, 3.45) 0.003 (70)
 Flavanols ECG Plasma Nested CC Japan 326 163 100 40–69 14 Tertiles 0.25 (0.08, 0.73) 0.02 (70)
 Flavanols ECG Plasma Nested CC Japan 662 331 0 40–69 14 Tertiles — NS (70)
 Flavanols EC Plasma Nested CC Japan 326 163 100 40–69 14 Tertiles — NS (70)
 Flavanols ECG, EGC Plasma Nested CC Japan 988 494 33 40–69 14 Tertiles — NS (70)
 Flavanols EGC + 4´-MeEGC + EC + metabolites Urine Nested CC China 753 190 0 45–64 12 Quartiles — NS (70)
Colorectum
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA, END, ENL Plasma Nested CC UK 1091 214 43 45–75 9 Log2 — NS (65)
 Isoflavonoids and lignans DAI, GEN, GLY, equol, O-DMA, END, ENL Urine Nested CC UK 832 146 43 45–75 9 Log2 — NS (65)
Colon
 Flavanols EGC + 4´-MeEGC Urine Nested CC China 498 83 0 45–64 16 Quartiles 0.42 (0.68, 0.94) 0.007 (71)
 Flavanols EC + metabolites Urine Nested CC China 498 83 0 45–64 16 Quartiles — NS (71)
Rectum
 Flavanols EGC + 4´-MeEGC + EC + metabolites Urine Nested CC China 474 79 0 45–64 16 Quartiles — NS (71)
Lung
 Isoflavonoids GEN Plasma Nested CC Japan 318 106 100 40–69 13.5 Quintiles 0.31 (0.12, 0.86) 0.085 (72)
 Isoflavonoids Total isoflavones, DAI, GLY, equol Plasma Nested CC Japan 318 106 100 40–69 13.5 Quintiles — NS (72)
1

CC, case-control; DAI, daidzein; DH-DAI, dihydrodaidzein; DH-GEN, dihydrogenistein; EC, epicatechin; ECG, epicatechin gallate; EGC, epigallocatechin; EGCG, epigallocatechin gallate; END, enterodiol; ENL, enterolactone; GEN, genistein; GLY, glycitein; MeEGC, methylepigallocatechin gallate; O-DMA, O-desmethylangolensin; Ref, reference; —, no significant association.

2

P is -trend when the association was measured in quantiles and value when association was measured continuously.

3

OR; 95% CI in parentheses (all such values).