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Dietary vitamin C, E, and carotenoid intake and risk of renal cell carcinoma

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Abstract

Object

The study examines the association between dietary intake of vitamin C, E, and carotenoids and the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods

Between 1994 and 1997 in 8 Canadian provinces, mailed questionnaires were completed by 1,138 incident, histologically confirmed cases of RCC and 5,039 population controls, including information on socio-economic status, lifestyle habits and diet. A 69-item food frequency questionnaire provided data on eating habits 2 years before data collection. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using unconditional logistic regression.

Results

Dietary intake of β-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin was inversely associated with the risk of RCC. The ORs for the highest versus the lowest quartile were 0.74 (95% CI, 0.59–0.92) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.62–0.95), respectively. The significant inverse association with β-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin was more pronounced in women, and in overweight or obese subjects. The relation of lutein/zeaxanthin to RCC was stronger in ever smokers. No clear association was observed with vitamin C and E, β-cryptozanthin, and lycopene.

Conclusion

The findings provide evidence that a diet rich in β-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin may play a role in RCC prevention.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

OR:

Odds ratio

CI:

Confidence interval

NECSS:

National Enhanced Cancer Surveillance System

RCC:

Renal cell carcinoma

FFQ:

Food frequency questionnaire

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Acknowledgments

CLV and EN were supported by the Italian Association for Cancer Research and the Italian League against cancer. CLV was a recipient of an IARC senior fellowship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evidence and Risk Assessment Division, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Public Health Agency of Canada, 785 Carling Avenue, AL: 6807B, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada

    Jinfu Hu & Marie DesMeules

  2. Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Milan, Italy

    Carlo La Vecchia & Eva Negri

  3. Istituto di Statistica Medica e Biometria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy

    Carlo La Vecchia

  4. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Les Mery

Authors
  1. Jinfu Hu
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  2. Carlo La Vecchia
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  3. Eva Negri
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  4. Marie DesMeules
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  5. Les Mery
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Consortia

The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jinfu Hu.

Additional information

The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group comprises a principal investigator from each of the provincial cancer registries involved in the National Enhanced Cancer Surveillance System: Bertha Paulse, MSc, BN, Newfoundland Cancer Foundation; Ron Dewar, MA, Nova Scotia Cancer Registry; Dagny Dryer, MD, Prince Edward Island Cancer Registry; Nancy Kreiger, PhD, Cancer Care Ontario; Heather Whittaker, Manitoba Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation; Diane Robson, BA, Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation; Shirley Fincham, PhD, Alberta Cancer Board; and Nhu Le, PhD, British Columbia Cancer Agency.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 6.

Table 6 Lower quartile cutpoints for selected micronutrients among controls, NECSS study, Canada, 1994–1997
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Hu, J., La Vecchia, C., Negri, E. et al. Dietary vitamin C, E, and carotenoid intake and risk of renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Causes Control 20, 1451–1458 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9371-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9371-6

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