A cross-sectional study of vitamin intake in postoperative non-small cell lung cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
This cross-sectional study of postoperative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients examined possible effects of vitamin intake and folate status on disease-free survival.


METHODS
Supplemental vitamin usage, dietary vitamin intake (Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire), red blood cell (RBC) folate, and serum folate concentrations were assessed in patients with a history of NSCLC. Exclusion criteria included factors that alter folate status or that are associated with altered nutritional habits: (1) evidence of cancer on history, physical, or chest radiograph; (2) tobacco, alcohol ingestion (>2 drinks/ day), or cancer treatment within 3 months; (3) use of folate antagonists; and (4) age <60 years.


RESULTS
36 subjects were evaluated. The median disease-free censored survival was 24 months (range 4-41). Nineteen of 36 patients (53%) reported vitamin supplementation. Vitamin users had a longer median censored survival compared with nonusers (41 months versus 11 months; P = 0.002). With adjustment for cancer stage, the association between RBC folate and censored survival (r = 0.35; P = 0.055) and between serum folate and censored survival (r = 0.32; P = 0.083) approached statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
NSCLC patients who took vitamin supplements were more likely to be long-term survivors in the patients studied; a similar trend toward long-term survival was seen among patients with higher circulating folate concentrations.
Department of Medicine, Tufts University and New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA. jatoi_bf@hnrc.tufts.edu
A
A
Jatoi
B D
BD
Daly
G
G
Kramer
J B
JB
Mason
D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011182:Postoperative Care; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014801:Vitamin A; D005492:Folic Acid