title: Influence of vitamin A on cervical dysplasia and carcinoma in situ.
abstract: A case-control study was undertaken to determine the dietary intake of vitamin A in women having abnormal uterocervical cytology. The study groups (87 cases and 82 controls) were drawn from a population of women who received a screening Pap test in the ambulatory health care section of a large municipal hospital center. A subset of cases (with abnormal cytology) were matched to controls for age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and parity. Nutrient intake and retinol binding protein concentrations were determined; epidemiological data were also obtained. It was found that the subset of cases with severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ (CIS) were more likely to have a total dietary vitamin A intake below the pooled median (3,450 IU) and/or a beta-carotene intake below the pooled median (2,072 IU) than were normal controls (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.025, respectively). Odds ratios revealed approximately a 3-fold greater risk for severe dysplasia or CIS in women with lowered vitamin A or beta-carotene intake. In addition, retinol binding protein was either absent or undetectable in 78.8% of the dysplastic tissue samples, versus 23.5% of the normal tissue samples (p less than 0.005).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014801:Vitamin A
chemical_list: D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D014801:Vitamin A