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Prospective study of plasma enterolactone and prostate cancer risk (Sweden)

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Abstract

Objectives: Enterolactone, a phytoestrogen produced by the intestinal microflora from precursors in plant foods, has been postulated to protect against hormone-dependent cancers. We studied the association between plasma enterolactone and risk of prostate cancer.

Methods: In the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Cohort, enterolactone concentrations were measured by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay in plasma taken from 265 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer at a mean time of 5 years after blood collection, and in plasma from 525 control men, matched for age and date of blood collection.

Results: There was no significant association between quartiles of plasma enterolactone and risk of prostate cancer. Odds ratios for prostate cancer, estimated by conditional logistic regression for increasing concentrations of enterolactone in quartiles were 1.00 (referent), 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.52–1.27), 1.03 (0.67–1.58), and 1.22 (0.80–1.86). Adjustments for body mass index (BMI), smoking status and stratification for age, lag time, storage time and tumour characteristics did not materially alter risk estimates. Men with very low enterolactone levels, however, had significantly higher risk of prostate cancer, odds ratio for bottom decile versus all other deciles was 1.68 (1.03–2.74).

Conclusions: Our results do not support the hypothesis that enterolactone formed from dietary lignans protects against prostate cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery and Perioperative Sciences, Urology and Andrology, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, 901 85, Sweden

    Pär Stattin

  2. Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden

    Annika Bylund

  3. Hormones and Cancer Group, International Agency for Research against Cancer, Lyon, France

    Carine Biessy & Rudolf Kaaks

  4. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Nutritional Research, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden

    Göran Hallmans

  5. The Institute for Preventive Medicine, Nutrition and Cancer, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Folkhälsan Research Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Herman Adlercreutz

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  1. Pär Stattin
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  2. Annika Bylund
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  3. Carine Biessy
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  4. Rudolf Kaaks
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  5. Göran Hallmans
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  6. Herman Adlercreutz
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Stattin, P., Bylund, A., Biessy, C. et al. Prospective study of plasma enterolactone and prostate cancer risk (Sweden). Cancer Causes Control 15, 1095–1102 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-004-1480-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-004-1480-7

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