Plasma Carotenoids and Retinol and Overall and Breast Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study

Abstract

Experimental studies suggest that carotenoids and retinol may play a role in carcinogenesis, but epidemiological evidence is lacking. We investigated the prospective associations between plasma concentrations of major carotenoids and retinol, and overall and breast cancer risk. A nested case-control study included all first incident cancer cases diagnosed in the SU.VI.MAX cohort between 1994 and 2002 (n = 159 cases, 1 matched control/case). Baseline plasma concentrations of carotenoids and retinol were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess odds ratios for an increase of 0.1 μmol/L [odds ratio (OR)] and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Plasma β-carotene (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.90–0.99, P_trend = 0.04) and β-cryptoxanthin concentrations (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.81–0.99, P_trend = 0.03) were inversely associated with overall cancer risk. Plasma β-cryptoxanthin concentration was inversely associated with breast cancer risk (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.71–0.96, P_trend = 0.02). The OR between plasma lycopene concentration and overall cancer risk was 1.07 (0.99–1.15), P_trend = 0.06. This association turned significant (P_trend = 0.01) when excluding cancer cases diagnosed during the first year of follow-up. This prospective study suggests an inverse association between plasma concentrations of β-cryptoxanthin and both overall and breast cancer risk, and an inverse association between β-carotene and overall cancer risk. The direct association between lycopene concentration and cancer risk deserves further investigation.

Additional information

Funding

This work was done at the Sorbonne Paris Cité Research Center, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team, Inserm U557, Inra U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University in Bobigny (France). This study was funded by the French Ministry of Health. The authors thank Sandrine Bertrais and Luc Dauchet for their contribution to the setting of this nested case-control study. The authors also thank Gwenael Monot, Younes Esseddik, Paul Flanzy, Mohand Ait Oufella, Yasmina Chelghoum, and Than Duong Van (computer scientists); Florence Charpentier (dietitian); Nathalie Arnault, Véronique Gourlet, Fabien Szabo, Laurent Bourhis, and Stephen Besseau (statisticians); and Rachida Mehroug (logistics assistant) for their technical contribution to the SU.VI.MAX study.