A prospective cohort study on intake of retinol, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids and prostate cancer risk (Netherlands).
OBJECTIVE
The roles of retinol, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids as risk factors for prostate carcinoma are still questionable. We evaluated these in the Netherlands Cohort Study.


METHODS
The cohort study consisted of 58,279 men ages 55-69 years at baseline in 1986. After 6.3 years of follow-up, 642 incident prostate carcinoma cases were available for analysis. Intakes of retinol, vitamins C and E, and several carotenoids were measured by means of a 150-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire.


RESULTS
In multivariate analyses a positive association with prostate cancer risk was observed for intake of beta-cryptoxanthin. Rate ratios (RRs) in increasing quintiles were 1.00 (ref), 0.94, 1.01, 1.16, 1.41; p-trend < 0.01. For intake of retinol, vitamins C and E and other carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin) no effect on overall prostate cancer risk was found. RRs for vitamin supplement use were decreased, but not significantly. Among nondrinkers, nonsignificant inverse associations were observed for intake of retinol, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene (RRs, highest vs lowest quintile, were 0.23, 0.60, and 0.76, respectively). Among drinkers, beta-cryptoxanthin was positively associated (RR highest vs lowest quintile = 1.40).


CONCLUSIONS
These data show a positive association between beta-cryptoxanthin and prostate cancer risk. Our study also shows inverse associations for retinol, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene among nondrinkers; this suggests an interaction between vitamins and alcohol consumption, which needs confirmation. Lycopene was not associated with prostate cancer.
Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Agnes G
AG
Schuurman
R Alexandra
RA
Goldbohm
Henny A M
HA
Brants
Piet A
PA
van den Brandt
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D024341:Xanthophylls; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D000975:Antioxidants; D065366:Cryptoxanthins; D024341:Xanthophylls; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D001205:Ascorbic Acid