title: Serum cholesterol, beta-carotene, and risk of lung cancer.
abstract: This paper hypothesizes that beta-carotene mediates the association between low serum cholesterol and increased risk of lung cancer, predicts that the association should be greater in population strata with low intake of beta-carotene than in those with high intake if the hypothesis is correct, and investigates this prediction with data from a 24-year cohort study of 1,960 middle-aged employed men. In the total cohort, serum cholesterol was not related to risk of lung cancer. The relative risk associated with a difference of -1.0 mmol per liter in serum cholesterol was 1.01 (95% confidence interval of 0.80-1.27) after adjustment for cigarette smoking, age, and intake of beta-carotene. In contrast, however, when the study group was restricted to men with intake of beta-carotene less than 5,000 (N = 929) or less than 3,000 IU per day (N = 272), comparable relative risks were 1.10 and 1.21, respectively. Although the 95% confidence intervals for these relative risks were broad and included unity, the result is consistent with expectation. We conclude that the hypothesis warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Texas, Houston 77225.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Shekelle
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tangney
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Rossof
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stamler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D002784:Cholesterol