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Vitamin E and selenium supplementation and risk of prostate cancer in the Vitamins and lifestyle (VITAL) study cohort

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Abstract

Objective

Vitamin E and selenium are promising nutrients for the prevention of prostate cancer, and both are currently being tested in a large randomized trial for prostate cancer. However, results are not expected for at least 6 years.

We aimed to investigate the association of vitamin E and selenium supplementation with prostate cancer in the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) study, a cohort study specifically designed to examine supplement use and future cancer risk.

Methods

In a prospective design, 35,242 men recruited between 2000 and 2002 from western Washington State completed a questionnaire, including detailed questions about vitamin E and selenium supplement intake during the past 10 years from brand-specific multivitamins and single supplements. Using linkage to the western Washington SEER cancer registry, we documented 830 new cases of prostate cancer from baseline through December 2004.

Results

A 10-year average intake of supplemental vitamin E was not associated with a reduced prostate cancer risk overall [hazard ratio (HR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–1.1 for ≥400 IU/day vs. non-use, p for trend 0.36]; however, risk for advanced prostate cancer (regionally invasive or distant metastatic, n = 123) decreased significantly with greater intake of supplemental vitamin E (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.19–1.0 for 10-year average intake ≥400 IU/day vs. non-use, p for trend 0.03). There was no association between selenium supplementation and prostate cancer risk (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.62–1.3 for 10-year average intake >50 μg/day vs. non-use, p for trend 0.97).

Conclusions

In this prospective cohort, long-term supplemental intake of vitamin E and selenium were not associated with prostate cancer risk overall; however, risk of clinically relevant advanced disease was reduced with greater long-term vitamin E supplementation.

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Abbreviations

CI:

Confidence interval

OR:

Odds ratio

VITAL cohort:

Vitamins and lifestyle cohort

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Acknowledgments

We thank the participants of the Vitamins and Lifestyle study for their support. All authors were responsible for the study concept and design, and participated in writing the manuscript. AJL analyzed the data and UP drafted the manuscript. None of the authors had a personal or financial conflict of interest. Grant support: Supported by grant R01 CA74846, the Career Development grant K22 CA118421 and the Cancer Prevention training grant R25T CA94880 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North M4-B402, P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA, 98109-1024, USA

    Ulrike Peters, Alyson J. Littman, Alan R. Kristal, John D. Potter & Emily White

  2. University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Ulrike Peters, Alyson J. Littman, Alan R. Kristal, John D. Potter & Emily White

  3. Department of Veterans Affairs Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Alyson J. Littman

  4. Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA

    Ruth E. Patterson

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  1. Ulrike Peters
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Correspondence to Ulrike Peters.

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Peters, U., Littman, A.J., Kristal, A.R. et al. Vitamin E and selenium supplementation and risk of prostate cancer in the Vitamins and lifestyle (VITAL) study cohort. Cancer Causes Control 19, 75–87 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9072-y

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