Specific serum carotenoids are inversely associated with breast cancer risk among Chinese women: a case-control study

卷:115

Yan, Bo ; Lu, Min-Shan ; Wang, Lian ; Mo, Xiong-Fei ; Luo, Wei-Ping ; Du, Yu-Feng ; Zhang, Cai-Xia

Sun Yat Sen Univ

关键词: Serum carotenoids;    Breast cancer;    Case-control studies;    Chinese women;   

DOI  :  10.1017/S000711451500416X

学科分类：食品科学和技术

【 摘 要 】

Previous epidemiological studies have revealed the anti-cancer effect of dietary circulating carotenoids. However, the protective role of specific individual circulating carotenoids has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to examine whether serum carotenoids, including alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin, could lower the risk for breast cancer among Chinese women. A total of 521 women with breast cancer and age-matched controls (5-year interval) were selected from three teaching hospitals in Guangzhou, China. Concentrations of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin were measured using HPLC. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to calculate OR and 95 % CI using quartiles defined in the control subjects. Significant inverse associations were observed between serum alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin and the risk for breast cancer. The multivariate OR for the highest quartile of serum concentration compared with the lowest quartile were 0.44 (95 % CI 0.30, 0.65) for alpha-carotene, 0.27 (95 % CI 0.18, 0.40) for beta-carotene, 0.41 (95 % CI 0.28, 0.61) for lycopene and 0.26 (95 % CI 0.17, 0.38) for lutein/zeaxanthin. However, no significant association was found between serum beta-cryptoxanthin and the risk for breast cancer. Stratified analysis by menopausal status and oestrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) showed that serum alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin were inversely associated with breast cancer risk among premenopausal women and among all subtypes of ER or PR status. The results suggest a protective role of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin, but not beta-cryptoxanthin, in breast cancer risk.