Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Vitamin and mineral use and risk of prostate cancer: the case–control surveillance study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Many studies have evaluated the association between vitamin and mineral supplement use and the risk of prostate cancer, with inconclusive results.

Methods

The authors examined the relation of use of multivitamins as well as several single vitamin and mineral supplements to the risk of prostate cancer risk among 1,706 prostate cancer cases and 2,404 matched controls using data from the hospital-based case–control surveillance study conducted in the United States. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk of prostate cancer were estimated using conditional logistic regression model.

Results

For use of multivitamins that did not contain zinc, the multivariable odds ratios of prostate cancer were 0.6 for 1–4 years, 0.8 for 5–9 years, and 1.2 for 10 years or more, respectively (p for trend = 0.70). Men who used zinc for ten years or more, either in a multivitamin or as a supplement, had an approximately two-fold (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0, 3.6) increased risk of prostate cancer. Vitamin E, beta-carotene, folate, and selenium use were not significantly associated with increased risk of prostate cancer.

Conclusion

The finding that long-term zinc intake from multivitamins or single supplements was associated with a doubling in risk of prostate cancer adds to the growing evidence for an unfavorable effect of zinc on prostate cancer carcinogenesis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CI:

Confidence interval

OR:

Odds ratio

References

  1. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E et al (2006) Cancer statistics, 2006. CA Cancer J Clin 56:106–130

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Cancer Statistics (2007) American Cancer Society, Inc, 2007. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PRO/content/PRO_1_1_Cancer_Statistics_2007_Presentation.asp. Accessed May 11, 2008

  3. Gronberg H (2003) Prostate cancer epidemiology. Lancet 361:859–864. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12713-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Radimer K, Bindewald B, Hughes J, Ervin B, Swanson C, Picciano MF (2004) Dietary supplement use by US adults: data from the national health and nutrition examination survey, 1999–2000. Am J Epidemiol 160:339–349. doi:10.1093/aje/kwh207

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kaufman DW, Kelly JP, Rosenberg L, Anderson TE, Mitchell AA (2002) Recent patterns of medication use in the ambulatory adult population of the United States: the Slone survey. JAMA 287:337–344. doi:10.1001/jama.287.3.337

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Picciano MF, Dwyer JT, Radimer KL et al (2007) Dietary supplement use among infants, children, and adolescents in the United States, 1999–2002. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 161:978–985. doi:10.1001/archpedi.161.10.978

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. NIH State-of-the-Science Panel (2006) National Institutes of Health State-of-the-science conference statement: multivitamin/mineral supplements and chronic disease prevention. Ann Intern Med 145:364–371. doi:10.1001/archinte.145.2.364

  8. Gallus S, Foschi R, Negri E et al (2007) Dietary zinc and prostate cancer risk: a case–control study from Italy. Eur Urol 52:1052–1056. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2007.01.094

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Heinonen OP, Albanes D, Virtamo J et al (1998) Prostate cancer and supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene: incidence and mortality in a controlled trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 90:440–446. doi:10.1093/jnci/90.6.440

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kristal AR, Stanford JL, Cohen JH, Wicklund K, Patterson RE (1999) Vitamin and mineral supplement use is associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 8:887–892

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chan JM, Stampfer MJ, Ma J, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Giovannucci EL (1999) Supplemental vitamin E intake and prostate cancer risk in a large cohort of men in the United States. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 8:893–899

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Wu K, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Giovannucci EL (2003) Zinc supplement use and risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 95:1004–1007

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rodriguez C, Jacobs EJ, Mondul AM, Calle EE, McCullough ML, Thun MJ (2004) Vitamin E supplements and risk of prostate cancer in U.S. men. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 13:378–382

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lonn E, Bosch J, Yusuf S et al (2005) Effects of long-term vitamin E supplementation on cardiovascular events and cancer: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 293:1338–1347. doi:10.1001/jama.293.11.1338

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kirsh VA, Hayes RB, Mayne ST et al (2006) Supplemental and dietary vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C intakes and prostate cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst 98:245–254

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wright ME, Weinstein SJ, Lawson KA et al (2007) Supplemental and dietary vitamin E intakes and risk of prostate cancer in a large prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 16:1128–1135. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-1071

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lawson KA, Wright ME, Subar A et al (2007) Multivitamin use and risk of prostate cancer in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 99:754–764. doi:10.1093/jnci/djk177

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Manson JE et al (1996) Lack of effect of long-term supplementation with beta carotene on the incidence of malignant neoplasms and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 334:1145–1149. doi:10.1056/NEJM199605023341801

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Watkins ML, Erickson JD, Thun MJ, Mulinare J, Heath CW Jr (2000) Multivitamin use and mortality in a large prospective study. Am J Epidemiol 152:149–162. doi:10.1093/aje/152.2.149

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Stevens VL, McCullough ML, Diver WR et al (2005) Use of multivitamins and prostate cancer mortality in a large cohort of US men. Cancer Causes Control 16:643–650. doi:10.1007/s10552-005-0384-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Meyer F, Galan P, Douville P et al (2005) Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplementation and prostate cancer prevention in the SU.VI.MAX trial. Int J Cancer 116:182–186. doi:10.1002/ijc.21058

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Hartman TJ, Albanes D, Pietinen P et al (1998) The association between baseline vitamin E, selenium, and prostate cancer in the alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene cancer prevention study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 7:335–340

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kolonel LN, Yoshizawa CN, Hankin JH (1988) Diet and prostatic cancer: a case–control study in Hawaii. Am J Epidemiol 127:999–1012

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Vlajinac HD, Marinkovic JM, Ilic MD, Kocev NI (1997) Diet and prostate cancer: a case–control study. Eur J Cancer 33:101–107. doi:10.1016/S0959-8049(96)00373-5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Stevens VL, Rodriguez C, Pavluck AL, McCullough ML, Thun MJ, Calle EE (2006) Folate nutrition and prostate cancer incidence in a large cohort of US men. Am J Epidemiol 163:989–996. doi:10.1093/aje/kwj126

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Pelucchi C, Galeone C, Talamini R et al (2005) Dietary folate and risk of prostate cancer in Italy. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14:944–948. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-04-0787

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. The alpha-tocopherol, beta carotene cancer prevention study group (1994) The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. N Engl J Med 330:1029–1035. doi:10.1056/NEJM199404143301501

    Google Scholar 

  28. West DW, Slattery ML, Robison LM, French TK, Mahoney AW (1991) Adult dietary intake and prostate cancer risk in Utah: a case–control study with special emphasis on aggressive tumors. Cancer Causes Control 2:85–94. doi:10.1007/BF00053126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rosenberg L, Coogan P, Palmer J (2005) Case–control surveillance. In: Strom BL (ed) Pharmacoepidemiology. Wiley, Chichester, pp 185–202

    Google Scholar 

  30. Weinstein SJ, Wright ME, Pietinen P et al (2005) Serum alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in relation to prostate cancer risk in a prospective study. J Natl Cancer Inst 97:396–399

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) (2008) U.S. National Cancer Institute. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressrelease/SELECTQandA. Accessed November 22, 2008

  32. Clark LC, Combs GF Jr, Turnbull BW et al (1996) Effects of selenium supplementation for cancer prevention in patients with carcinoma of the skin. A randomized controlled trial. Nutritional prevention of cancer study group. JAMA 276:1957–1963. doi:10.1001/jama.276.24.1957

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Weinstein SJ, Hartman TJ, Stolzenberg-Solomon R et al (2003) Null association between prostate cancer and serum folate, vitamin B(6), vitamin B(12), and homocysteine. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 12:1271–1272

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Hultdin J, Van Guelpen B, Bergh A, Hallmans G, Stattin P (2005) Plasma folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine and prostate cancer risk: a prospective study. Int J Cancer 113:819–824. doi:10.1002/ijc.20646

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Johansson M, Appleby PN, Allen NE et al (2008) Circulating concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 in relation to prostate cancer risk: results from the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 17:279–285. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0657

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Liang JY, Liu YY, Zou J, Franklin RB, Costello LC, Feng P (1999) Inhibitory effect of zinc on human prostatic carcinoma cell growth. Prostate 40:200–207. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0045(19990801)40:3<200::AID-PROS8>3.0.CO;2-3

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Ishii K, Usui S, Sugimura Y et al (2001) Aminopeptidase N regulated by zinc in human prostate participates in tumor cell invasion. Int J Cancer 92:49–54. doi:10.1002/1097-0215(200102)9999:9999<::AID-IJC1161>3.0.CO;2-S

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Costello LC, Franklin RB, Feng P, Tan M, Bagasra O (2005) Zinc and prostate cancer: a critical scientific, medical, and public interest issue (United States). Cancer Causes Control 16:901–915. doi:10.1007/s10552-005-2367-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Wolk A (2007) Editorial comment on: dietary zinc and prostate cancer risk: a case–control study from Italy. Eur Urol 52:1056–1057. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2007.01.095

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Sommerfeld HJ, Meeker AK, Piatyszek MA, Bova GS, Shay JW, Coffey DS (1996) Telomerase activity: a prevalent marker of malignant human prostate tissue. Cancer Res 56:218–222

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Boissier S, Ferreras M, Peyruchaud O et al (2000) Bisphosphonates inhibit breast and prostate carcinoma cell invasion, an early event in the formation of bone metastases. Cancer Res 60:2949–2954

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Holmes MD, Pollak MN, Willett WC, Hankinson SE (2002) Dietary correlates of plasma insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 concentrations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 11:852–861

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Prasad AS, Mantzoros CS, Beck FW, Hess JW, Brewer GJ (1996) Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition 12:344–348. doi:10.1016/S0899-9007(96)80058-X

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Chan JM, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci E et al (1998) Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I and prostate cancer risk: a prospective study. Science 279:563–566. doi:10.1126/science.279.5350.563

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Parsons JK, Carter HB, Platz EA, Wright EJ, Landis P, Metter EJ (2005) Serum testosterone and the risk of prostate cancer: potential implications for testosterone therapy. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14:2257–2260. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-04-0715

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by grant CA45762 from the National Cancer Institute. Additional support was provided by grant FD-U-00082 from the Food and Drug Administration.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Epidemiology Research and Training Unit, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Yuqing Zhang

  2. Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Patricia Coogan, Julie R. Palmer & Lynn Rosenberg

  3. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Brian L. Strom

  4. Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Brian L. Strom

  5. Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Brian L. Strom

Authors
  1. Yuqing Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Patricia Coogan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Julie R. Palmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Brian L. Strom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lynn Rosenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuqing Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, Y., Coogan, P., Palmer, J.R. et al. Vitamin and mineral use and risk of prostate cancer: the case–control surveillance study. Cancer Causes Control 20, 691–698 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9282-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9282-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation