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Nutrients from Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Reduce the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

  • Original Research
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Abstract

Purpose

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease for which the role of dietary factors remains inconclusive. Our objective was to evaluate the risk of pancreatic cancer associated with nutrients found in fruits and vegetables and nutrient supplementation using a clinic-based case–control design.

Methods

Our study included 384 rapidly ascertained cases and 983 controls frequency-matched on age at time of recruitment (in 5-year increments), race, sex, and region of residence. All subjects provided demographic information and completed a 144-item food frequency questionnaire in which they reported no change to their diet within 5 years prior to entering the study. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals, adjusted for age, sex, smoking, body mass index, energy intake, and alcohol consumption.

Results

Results show a significant (trend p value < 0.05) inverse association between pancreatic cancer and nutrient/supplement groupings in a dose-dependent manner including magnesium, potassium, selenium, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin, niacin, total alpha-tocopherol, total vitamin A activity, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. Adjusting for diabetes or total sugar intake did not result in significant changes.

Conclusion

We conclude that most nutrients obtained through consumption of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

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Abbreviations

OR:

Odds ratios

CI:

Confidence interval

FFQ:

Food Frequency Questionnaire

NCI:

National Cancer Institute

IGF:

Insulin-like growth factor

SOD2:

Mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase

CAT:

Catalase

GPX:

Glutathione peroxidase

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Acknowledgments

Partial funding for this research was provided by R25TCA92049 and Mayo Clinic SPORE in Pancreatic Cancer (P50 CA102701). We would like to thank all study coordinators and other research personnel involved with this research.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Rick J. Jansen, Janet E. Olson & Gloria M. Petersen

  2. Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Dennis P. Robinson, William R. Bamlet, Mariza de Andrade, Ann L. Oberg & Kari G. Rabe

  3. Department of Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Rachael Z. Stolzenberg-Solomon

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Kristin E. Anderson

  5. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Rashmi Sinha

Authors
  1. Rick J. Jansen
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  2. Dennis P. Robinson
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  3. Rachael Z. Stolzenberg-Solomon
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Correspondence to Rick J. Jansen.

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Jansen, R.J., Robinson, D.P., Stolzenberg-Solomon, R.Z. et al. Nutrients from Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Reduce the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer. J Gastrointest Canc 44, 152–161 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-012-9441-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-012-9441-y

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