Antioxidant intake and pancreatic cancer risk
Citations:71
Influential Citations:3
Observational Studies (Human)
83
Enhanced Details
Methods
Population: 77,446 men and women aged 50-76 years in western Washington; baseline questionnaire 2000-2002; prospective population-based cohort (VITAL) designed to investigate supplement use and cancer risk; outcome: incident pancreatic cancer; exposures: dietary antioxidant intake (FFQ) and 10-year supplement use; analysis: Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, BMI, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, family history of pancreatic cancer, diabetes; no dosing information provided.
Results
Dietary selenium intake was inversely associated with pancreatic cancer risk (medium vs low intake HR 0.58; 95% CI 0.35-0.94; high vs low intake HR 0.44; 95% CI 0.23-0.85; Ptrend = 0.01). When dietary and supplement exposures were combined, the association was no longer statistically significant. Supplement selenium (mainly from multivitamins) showed no clear protective effect. No meaningful associations for other antioxidants. In sum, dietary selenium may reduce pancreatic cancer risk; selenium supplementation does not provide additional benefit and may attenuate the dietary association; replication and investigation of an optimal selenium range are warranted.
Limitations
Recall and reporting bias from self-reported dietary and supplement data; nondifferential measurement error in selenium content of foods due to soil variation; large number of exposures raises risk of chance findings; possible residual confounding by socioeconomic status; results may not generalize beyond this population.
Abstract
Oxidative stress causes damage to many components of human cells (ie, proteins, lipids, and DNA) and is involved in carcinogenesis. Nutrients with antioxidant properties may protect against oxidative stress. In this study, the authors examined the in...
Oxidative stress causes damage to many components of human cells (ie, proteins, lipids, and DNA) and is involved in carcinogenesis. Nutrients with antioxidant properties may protect against oxidative stress. In this study, the authors examined the intake of antioxidants from diet and supplements in relation to pancreatic cancer risk among participants of the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) Study.