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Associations of serum vitamin A and carotenoid levels with markers of prostate cancer detection among US men

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Abstract

Associations of serum vitamin A and carotenoid levels with markers of prostate cancer detection were evaluated among 3,927 US men, 40–85 years of age, who participated in the 2001–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Five recommended definitions of prostate cancer detection were adopted using total and free prostate-specific antigen (tPSA and fPSA) laboratory measurements. Men were identified as high risk based on alternative cutoffs, namely tPSA > 10 ng/ml, tPSA > 4 ng/ml, tPSA > 2.5 ng/ml, %fPSA < 25%, and %fPSA < 15%. %fPSA was defined as (fPSA÷tPSA)× 100%. Serum levels of vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene) were defined as quartiles and examined as risk/protective factors for PSA biomarkers. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using binary logistic models. After adjustment for known demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle confounders, high serum levels of retinyl esters (tPSA > 10 ng/ml: Q4 vs. Q1 → OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.14–1.00) and α-carotene (%fPSA < 15%: Q4 vs. Q1 → OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32–0.76) were associated with a lower odds, whereas high serum level of lycopene (tPSA > 2.5 ng/ml: Q4 vs. Q1 → OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.01–2.14) was associated with a greater odds of prostate cancer detection. Apart from the three significant associations observed, no other exposure–outcome association was significant. Monitoring specific antioxidant levels may be helpful in the early detection of prostate cancer.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

CI:

Confidence interval

DRE:

Digital rectal exam

fPSA:

Free prostate-specific antigen

%fPSA:

Percent free prostate-specific antigen

Q1:

First quartile

Q2:

Second quartile

Q3:

Third quartile

Q4:

Fourth quartile

NHANES:

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

OR:

Odds ratio

PCa:

Prostate cancer

PSA:

Prostate-specific antigen

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

tPSA:

Total prostate-specific antigen

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Acknowledgments

This research was partly supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute on Aging. We would like to thank Dr. Larry Brant and Dr. Joshua Goh for providing useful comments regarding the content of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Public Health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 700 W. Olney Rd, Post Office Box 1980, Norfolk, VA, 23501-1980, USA

    Hind A. Beydoun

  2. Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Monal R. Shroff

  3. Department of Family Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Ravinder Mohan

  4. NIH/Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA

    May A. Beydoun

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  1. Hind A. Beydoun
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  2. Monal R. Shroff
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Correspondence to Hind A. Beydoun.

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Beydoun, H.A., Shroff, M.R., Mohan, R. et al. Associations of serum vitamin A and carotenoid levels with markers of prostate cancer detection among US men. Cancer Causes Control 22, 1483–1495 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-011-9822-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-011-9822-8

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