Habitual intake of lactic acid bacteria and risk reduction of bladder cancer.
BACKGROUND
A kind of lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, shows antitumor activity in experimental animals. One clinical trial using L. casei showed a significant decrease in the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer. So, to assess the preventive effect of the intake of L. casei, widely taken as fermented milk products in Japan, against bladder cancer, we conducted a case-control study.


METHODS
A total of 180 cases (mean age: 67 years, SD 10) were selected from 7 hospitals, and 445 population-based controls matched by gender and age were also selected. Interviewers asked them 81 items. The conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR).


RESULTS
The OR of smoking was 1.61 (95% confidence interval: 1.10-2.36). Those of previous (10-15 years ago) intake of fermented milk products were 0.46 (0.27-0.79) for 1-2 times/week and 0.61 (0.38-0.99) for 3-4 or more times/week, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
It was strongly suggested that the habitual intake of lactic acid bacteria reduces the risk of bladder cancer.
Ohashi
Yasuo
Y
School of Health Sciences and Nursing, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. ohashi@epistat.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Nakai
Satoshi
S
Tsukamoto
Taiji
T
Masumori
Naoya
N
Akaza
Hideyuki
H
Miyanaga
Naoto
N
Kitamura
Tadaichi
T
Kawabe
Kazuki
K
Kotake
Toshihiko
T
Kuroda
Masao
M
Naito
Seiji
S
Koga
Hirofumi
H
Saito
Yutaka
Y
Nomata
Kiochiro
K
Kitagawa
Motoaki
M
Aso
Yoshio
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007780:Lacticaseibacillus casei; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*