Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and prostate cancer severity

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant health concern, and its incidence and prevalence are influenced by various lifestyle factors, including diet. In recent years, the Mediterranean diet has gained popularity due to its potential health benefits and associations with reduced risk for various diseases. However, the impact of the Mediterranean diet on PCa remains a topic of debate. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to test the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and PCa severity. METHODS: Background, clinical and dietary information (from food frequency questionnaires) were collected from 118 consecutive patients attending a university hospital in Southern Italy. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to test the associations. RESULTS: Patients reporting higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet were less likely to have more at risk PCa both when comparing intermediate/high vs. low risk and high vs. intermediate /low risk PCa (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.85 and OR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.31, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet may be associated with a clinically less severe clinical PCa.