Garlic May Protect Against Lung Cancer

A number of previous studies report a protective effect of garlic, in both in vitro and in vivo experimental studies of cancer.  Zi-Yi Jin, from the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China), and colleagues interviewed 1,424 lung cancer patients, as well as 4,543 healthy control subjects, to ascertain lifestyle behaviors (particularly, if they smoked) and dietary habits (particularly, how much garlic they ate).  The data revealed that consuming raw garlic may reduce lung cancer risk by as much as 44%. Among smokers, eating raw garlic 2-3 times a week may reduce lung cancer risk by as much as 30%.  Noting a “protective association between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer,” the study authors conclude that: “garlic may potentially serve as a chemopreventive agent for lung cancer.”