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Plasma vitamins E and A and risk of bladder cancer: a case–control analysis

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Abstract

Objective

Current results on the association between serum micronutrients and bladder cancer risk have been inconsistent. We assessed plasma vitamin E (α-tocopherol, and γ-tocopherol), vitamin A (retinol), and bladder cancer risk using data collected from a case-control study.

Methods

Epidemiologic data were collected via in-person interview. Plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and retinol were determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography assay. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate bladder cancer risk in association with plasma vitamins E and A.

Results

386 bladder cancer patients and 389 age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched controls were included in the study. The mean plasma α-tocopherol and retinol were significantly lower in cases than in controls (α-tocopherol: 23.93 μg/ml vs. 27.48 μg/ml, P < 0.001; retinol: 1.41 μg/ml vs. 1.53 μg/ml, P < 0.001). There was a significant reduction in bladder cancer risk associated with increasing plasma α-tocopherol level (Adjusted OR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.85–0.97). In quartile analysis, using subjects with the lowest α-tocopherol level as the reference group, the adjusted ORs and 95% CIs for the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 0.75 (0.50–1.14), 0.69 (0.46–1.05), and 0.50 (0.32–0.78), respectively (P for trend = 0.003). Increased retinol level was also associated with reduced risk with OR of 0.57 (95% CI: 0.40–0.81). The ORs and 95% CIs for the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 0.92 (0.61–1.39), 0.66 (0.43–1.01), and 0.62 (0.40–0.95), respectively, with significant dose-response trend (P for trend = 0.01). Finally, there were significant correlations between plasma levels and dietary intakes for the three micronutrients.

Conclusion

Our results suggest potential protective effect of α-tocopherol and retinol on bladder cancer risk. Future large prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX, USA

    Dong Liang, Jing Ma & Bo Wei

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Unit 1340, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Hermann Pressler Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Jie Lin & Xifeng Wu

  3. Department of Urology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    H. Barton Grossman & Colin P. Dinney

Authors
  1. Dong Liang
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  2. Jie Lin
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  3. H. Barton Grossman
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  4. Jing Ma
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  5. Bo Wei
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  6. Colin P. Dinney
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  7. Xifeng Wu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xifeng Wu.

Additional information

Supported by NCI grants CA 74880 and CA 91846

All participants included have signed an informed consent to participate in this study. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Liang, D., Lin, J., Grossman, H.B. et al. Plasma vitamins E and A and risk of bladder cancer: a case–control analysis. Cancer Causes Control 19, 981–992 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9165-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9165-2

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