Premium
Nutrients and gastric cancer risk. A population‐based case‐control study in Sweden
Author(s) -
Hansson LarsErik,
Nykén Olof,
Beagström Reinhold,
Wolk Alicja,
Lindgren Anders,
Baron John,
Adami HansOlov
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910570505
Subject(s) - ascorbic acid , medicine , vitamin c , risk factor , cancer , vitamin , incidence (geometry) , population , case control study , physiology , nutrient , environmental health , gastroenterology , food science , biology , ecology , physics , optics
A population‐based case‐control study of gastric cancer was conducted in areas with contrasting incidence rates in Sweden. Face‐to‐face interviews were carried out with 338 (74.1 %) of all eligible cases and 679 (77.3%) of the selected controls. Consumption of selected nutrients during adolescence and 20 years prior to interview was estimated, together with life‐time intake of vitamin supplements. Ascorbic acid and β‐carotene had an unequivocal protective effect, but α‐tocopherol and nitrate were also negatively associated with gastric‐cancer risk. In a multivariate analysis including all of these factors, only ascorbic acid remained a significant protective factor. The only macronutrient positively associated with the risk of gastric cancer was fat: intake 20 years prior to interview, but not during adolescence, was found to have a significant impact. Supplementation with vitamins almost halved the risk after adjustment for dietary intake of the corresponding vitamins. While the protective effect of vitamin C and β‐carotene could conceivably be ascribed to other agents in the diet, the strong negative association between supplementation with vitamin C and risk of gastric cancer supports the hypothesis of a protective role of this anti‐oxidant.