A recent study conducted by Italian researchers revealed that increased intake of the antioxidant vitamins C and E can reduce the risk of kidney cancer by 28 and 44 percent respectively.

Researchers found that more than 80 percent of all kidney cancers are caused by renal cell carcinoma (RCC). They also revealed that an intake of more than 186 micrograms per day of vitamin C was associated with a 44 percent reduced risk of renal cell cancer, compared to those who took the average daily amount of 89.4 micrograms.

"Vitamin E may represent an indirect indicator of a diet rich in vegetables, which are usually consumed with olive oil in this population, and have been related to a reduced risk of RCC," lead author Cristina Bosetti from Milan's Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche described.

"Thus, it is possible that, as for other common neoplasms, the favorable effect of plant food may be due to other still unidentified compounds, or to the complex action of several micronutrients combined," Bosetti wrote in a study report.