Purine Intake and Ovarian Cancer Mortality Rates

by | Oct 16, 2023 | 2023, Caffeine, Cancer, Women's Health

Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Study results concluded that the higher the purine intake, particularly xanthine, the lower the death rate from ovarian cancer. 

woman drinking teaOvarian cancer is one of the most harmful gynecological cancers1,2. An estimated 75% are diagnosed at advanced stages because patients remain asymptomatic or have common symptoms, such as bloating1,3. The 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is below 45%1,4. Researchers are therefore working on ways to improve the prognosis1. Recent research showed that a high intake a purine and xanthine was linked to a lower risk of ovarian cancer death1.

Purines are found in the highest amounts in organ meats, seafood, alcohol and soft drinks. When the body metabolizes purines the product is serum uric acid, which is an antioxidant, but too much can cause harm in the body, such as gout and cancer metastases1,5,6.  Xanthine is a purine that is typically found in caffeine foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate1.

A total of 703 women with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in China were included in the study. A 111-item food-frequency questionnaire was used to collect dietary information for each participant. The follow-up was from 20-47 months and the results were as follows:

  • A total of 130 deaths occurred (18%)
  • The women with higher total purine intake tended to consume more fatty acids and cholesterol (p<0.05).
  • The mortality rate in the high total purine group was lower than that of the low total purine group (HR=0.39, 95%CI =0.19-0.80, p<0.05)
  • The higher xanthine intake group was associated with lower mortality (HR=0.52, 95%CI=0.29-0.94, p<0.05)

These results indicated that since purines are primarily found in meats, that those with higher purines could have a higher nutritional intake. The population of the study was from China where tea is a common drink, explaining a possible reason for higher xanthine intake. Previous research has also shown an inverse relationship between caffeine intake with ovarian cancer1,7.

In conclusion, the higher the purine intake, particularly xanthine, the lower the death rate from ovarian cancer1. Xanthine in this study was primarily from tea consumption. The limitation of the study was the population was all only from China1. This was the first epidemiological study to review the relationship between purine intake and ovarian cancer death rates. Researchers stated the findings warrant further exploration.

Source: Du, Zongda, Tingting Gong, Yifan Wei, Gang Zheng, Junqi Zhao, Bingjie Zou, Xue Qin et al. “Purine Intake and All-Cause Mortality in Ovarian Cancer: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study.” Nutrients 15, no. 4 (2023): 931.

© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Posted October 10, 2023.

Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.

References:

  1. Du, Z. et al. Purine Intake and All-Cause Mortality in Ovarian Cancer: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study.  Nutrients 2023, 15, 931.
  2. Sung, H, et al. Global Cancer Statistics 2020:GLOBCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries.  CA Cancer J Clin. 2021, 71, 209-249.
  3. Doubeni, C. et al. Diagnosis and Management of Ovarian Cancer. Am Fam Physician 2016, 93, 937-944.
  4. Matz, M. et al. Worldwide comparison of ovarian cancer survival: Histological group and stage at diagnosis (CONCORD-2). Gynecol. Oncol. 2016, 144, 396-404.
  5. Ames, B.N., et al. Uric acid provides an antioxidant defense in humans against oxidant- and radical-caused aging and cancer: A hypothesis. Proc Natl, Sci. USA 1981, 78, 6858-6862.
  6. Nelson, K.L, Voruganti, VS. Purine metabolites and complex diseases: Role of genes and nutrients.  Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care 2021, 24, 296-302.
  7. Gosvig CF, et al. Coffee, tea, and caffeine consumption and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer and borderline ovarian tumors: Results from a Danish case-control study.  Acta Oncol. 2015, 54, 114-1151.