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Effects of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplementation on gastric cancer incidence in male smokers (ATBC Study, Finland)

Authors :
Malila, Nea
Taylor, Philip
Virtanen, Mikko
Korhonen, Pasi
Huttunen, Jussi
Albanes, Demetrius
Virtamo, Jarmo
Source :
Cancer Causes and Control; September 2002, Vol. 13 Issue: 7 p617-623, 7p
Publication Year :
2002

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplementation on the incidence of gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 29,133 male smokers, aged 50–69 years, participated in a placebo-controlled prevention trial, the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study in southwestern Finland between 1985 and 1993. The men were randomly assigned to receive alpha-tocopherol (50 mg/day) or beta-carotene (20 mg/day) supplementation in a 2 × 2 factorial design. We identified 126 gastric cancer cases during the median follow-up of six years. Of these, 122 were adenocarcinomas: 75 of intestinal type, 30 of diffuse type, and 17 of mixed type. Results: There was no significant effect for either supplementation on the overall incidence of gastric cancer: relative risk (RR) 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–1.74 for alpha-tocopherol, and RR 1.26, 95% CI 0.88–1.80 for beta-carotene. Subgroup analyses by histologic type suggested an increased risk for beta-carotene on intestinal type cancers, RR 1.59, 95% CI 0.99–2.56. There were no differences across anatomic locations (cardia/noncardia) in the effects of alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene supplementation. Conclusions: Our study found no overall preventive effect of long-term supplementation with alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene on gastric cancer in middle-aged male smokers.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
09575243 and 15737225
Volume :
13
Issue :
7
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Cancer Causes and Control
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs36933459
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019556227014