A diet rich in fruit and vegetables could reduce the risk of laryngeal cancer, according to an Italian study released this month.

The research, published in Oral Oncology, was carried out by a team at the Milano-Biocca University in Monza, and showed that high intake of a variety of vegetables can be linked to a 59 per cent reduction of the risk of cancer of the larynx, while a diet that includes a variety of fruits, appeared to cut the risk by 60 per cent.

Researchers analysed data from 527 patients with laryngeal cancer and 1,297 patients with acute, non-neoplastic diseases between 1992 and 2000, to assess whether there was a relation between diet and the risk of laryngeal cancer.

The study also found that high consumption of a variety of meats was linked with a 67 per cent increased risk of the cancer.