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New Study on the Relationship Between the Mediterranean Diet and Certain Cancers
October 7, 2026
A new study has been published in the international scientific journal GeroScience, with Prof. Dr. Balázs Győrffy, Director of the Institute for Transdisciplinary Discoveries at the Medical School of the University of Pécs, as the lead author. The study investigated the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the risk of three types of cancer: head and neck, gastric, and liver cancers.
The systematic review and meta-analysis was based on data from 34 previous studies, comprising more than 4.2 million participants in total. The findings indicate that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk of developing all three types of cancer examined. When comparing groups with the highest and lowest levels of dietary adherence, the risk was found to be 45% lower for head and neck cancers, 38% lower for gastric cancer, and 41% lower for liver cancer.
The Mediterranean diet is primarily rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil, while containing smaller amounts of red and processed meat. According to the researchers, several mechanisms may contribute to the beneficial effects of the diet, including its influence on inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, and the functioning of the gut microbiome.
The authors emphasize that the findings demonstrate an association and, on their own, do not prove that the Mediterranean diet directly reduces the risk of developing cancer. Nevertheless, the study provides important new evidence for understanding the relationship between diet and cancer and further highlights the importance of investigating dietary habits in cancer prevention.
Journal reference:
Ungvari Z, Fekete M, Varga P, et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced risk of head and neck, gastric, and liver cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. GeroScience. 2026.
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-026-02525-z