Study Ties Plant-Based Diets to Lung Cancer Risk in Young Nonsmokers

A new study from researchers at the University of Southern California's Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that younger nonsmokers who consume more fruits, vegetables and whole grains may face a higher risk of lung cancer, potentially due to pesticide residues on nonorganic produce. The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, examined dietary habits among 187 patients diagnosed with the disease before age 50.

The research highlights a rising trend in lung cancer cases among nonsmokers under 50, particularly women, despite overall declines in the disease linked to reduced smoking rates since the mid-1980s. Traditionally, lung cancer has affected older adults, with an average diagnosis age of 71, and has been more common among men and smokers. However, rates among young nonsmokers have increased, and women in this group now outpace men in diagnoses. Most participants in the study had never smoked and developed a subtype of lung cancer biologically distinct from smoking-related forms, as noted in prior research on younger patients.

To assess diet, investigators used the Healthy Eating Index, which rates adherence to U.S....