title: Serum enterolactone concentration is not associated with prostate cancer risk in a nested case-control study.
abstract: The lignan enterolactone, produced by the intestinal microflora from dietary precursors, has been hypothesized to protect against hormone-dependent cancers and cardiovascular diseases. We conducted a nested case-control study to examine the relationship between serum enterolactone concentration and prostate cancer. Enterolactone concentrations were measured by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay in serum collected at baseline in the alpha-Tocopherol, beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study from 214 men with prostate cancer diagnosed during a 6-year follow-up and from 214 controls matched by age, date of baseline blood collection, intervention group, and local study area. Mean serum enterolactone concentration (in nmol/liter) did not differ significantly between case and control subjects [15.9 (SD, 15.2) versus 16.9 (SD, 14.9), respectively (P = 0.42)]. Odds ratios for prostate cancer risk estimated by conditional logistic regression for increasing quartiles of enterolactone concentration were 1.00 (referent), 0.72 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.43-1.23], 0.98 (95% CI, 0.58-1.68), and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.42-1.21). Our findings do not support the hypothesis that enterolactone is involved in the development of prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Helsinki, Finland. annamari.kilkkinen@ktl.fi
authors.forename: Annamari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilkkinen
authors.forename: Jarmo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Virtamo
authors.forename: Mikko J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adlercreutz
authors.forename: Demetrius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albanes
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietinen
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D006801:Humans; D017705:Lignans / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D017705:Lignans; D015107:4-Butyrolactone; C029497:2,3-bis(3'-hydroxybenzyl)butyrolactone