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A cross‐sectional study of vitamin intake in postoperative non‐small cell lung cancer patients
Author(s) -
Jatoi Aminah,
Daly Benedict D.T.,
Kramer Gertrude,
Mason Joel B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9098(199808)68:4<231::aid-jso5>3.0.co;2-5
Subject(s) - medicine , lung cancer , vitamin , cross sectional study , gastroenterology , cancer , physiology , surgery , pathology
Background and Objectives: This cross‐sectional study of postoperative non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients examined possible effects of vitamin intake and folate status on disease‐free survival. Methods Supplemental vitamin usage, dietary vitamin intake (Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire), red blood cell (RBC) folate, and serum folate concentrations were assessed in patients with a history of NSCLC. Exclusion criteria included factors that alter folate status or that are associated with altered nutritional habits: (1) evidence of cancer on history, physical, or chest radiograph; (2) tobacco, alcohol ingestion (>2 drinks/day), or cancer treatment within 3 months; (3) use of folate antagonists; and (4) age <60 years. Results 36 subjects were evaluated. The median disease‐free censored survival was 24 months (range 4–41). Nineteen of 36 patients (53%) reported vitamin supplementation. Vitamin users had a longer median censored survival compared with nonusers (41 months versus 11 months; P = 0.002). With adjustment for cancer stage, the association between RBC folate and censored survival (r = 0.35; P &equals 0.055) and between serum folate and censored survival (r &equals 0.32; P &equals 0.083) approached statistical significance. Conclusions NSCLC patients who took vitamin supplements were more likely to be long‐term survivors in the patients studied; a similar trend toward long‐term survival was seen among patients with higher circulating folate concentrations. J. Surg. Oncol. 68:231–236, 1998 . © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.