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Vitamin supplements among women with adenomatous polyps and cancer of the colon

Preliminary findings

  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

Chemoprevention of various epithelial cancers with vitamins or minerals has been the subject of multiple intervention trials to assess the impact of supplementation. These include several trials in patients with adenomatous polyps of the colon, a precursor lesion for colon cancer. The authors interviewed 255 women who underwent colonoscopy at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center between 1983 and 1985 with a telephone-administered structured questionnaire. Eleven interviews were excluded for various reasons. Overall, 57.7 percent of the 244 interviewees used vitamin pills on a regular basis (at least once a week for a year); 6.6 percent of the interviewees used vitamin A, 20.7 percent used vitamin C, and 16.2 percent used vitamin E. There were no statistically significant differences in vitamin usage among women with adenomatous polyps of the colon (105 cases), women with colon cancer (56 cases), and women without colonic neoplasia (83 cases). Despite widespread use of supplementary vitamins, this study failed to demonstrate major benefits in preventing colon polyps or cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York

    Alfred I. Neugut M.D.

  2. Department of Surgery College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York

    Kenneth A. Forde M.D., Michael R. Treat M.D. & Chloe Nims B.A.

  3. Department of School of Public Health College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York

    Christine M. Johnsen R.N., M.P.H.

  4. Division of Oncology, VC12-225, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, 10032, New York, New York

    Alfred I. Neugut M.D.

Authors
  1. Alfred I. Neugut M.D.
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  2. Christine M. Johnsen R.N., M.P.H.
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  3. Kenneth A. Forde M.D.
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  4. Michael R. Treat M.D.
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  5. Chloe Nims B.A.
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Additional information

Supported by NCI Grant No.CA37196, an American Cancer Society Junior Faculty Fellowship (AIN), a grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation, and an internship from the Health Research Training Program of the NYC Department of Health (CMJ).

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Neugut, A.I., Johnsen, C.M., Forde, K.A. et al. Vitamin supplements among women with adenomatous polyps and cancer of the colon. Dis Colon Rectum 31, 430–432 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02552611

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02552611

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