title: Antioxidant supplementation increases the risk of skin cancers in women but not in men.
abstract: This research aimed to test whether supplementation with a combination of antioxidant vitamins and minerals could reduce the risk of skin cancers (SC). It was performed within the framework of the Supplementation in Vitamins and Mineral Antioxidants study, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, primary prevention trial testing the efficacy of nutritional doses of antioxidants in reducing incidence of cancer and ischemic heart disease in the general population. French adults (7876 women and 5141 men) were randomized to take an oral daily capsule of antioxidants (120 mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E, 6 mg beta-carotene, 100 microg selenium, and 20 mg zinc) or a matching placebo. The median time of follow-up was 7.5 y. A total of 157 cases of all types of SC were reported, from which 25 were melanomas. Because the effect of antioxidants on SC incidence varied according to gender, men and women were analyzed separately. In women, the incidence of SC was higher in the antioxidant group [adjusted hazard ratio (adjusted HR) = 1.68; P = 0.03]. Conversely, in men, incidence did not differ between the 2 treatment groups (adjusted HR = 0.69; P = 0.11). Despite the small number of events, the incidence of melanoma was also higher in the antioxidant group for women (adjusted HR = 4.31; P = 0.02). The incidence of nonmelanoma SC did not differ between the antioxidant and placebo groups (adjusted HR = 1.37; P = 0.22 for women and adjusted HR = 0.72; P = 0.19 for men). Our findings suggest that antioxidant supplementation affects the incidence of SC differentially in men and women.
authors: UMR U557 Inserm/U1125 Inra/EA3200 Cnam/Univ Paris 13, Bobigny, France 93017. hercberg@cnam.fr
authors: Serge
authors: S
authors: Hercberg
authors: Khaled
authors: K
authors: Ezzedine
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Guinot
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Preziosi
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Galan
authors: Sandrine
authors: S
authors: Bertrais
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Estaquio
authors: Serge
authors: S
authors: Briançon
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Favier
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Latreille
authors: Denis
authors: D
authors: Malvy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants