Cancer
Sodium raises gastric cancer risk, vitamin E reduces it
By David Liu, Ph.D.
Aug 2, 2008 - 9:48:38 PM

SATURDAY August 2, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Published in Annals of oncology 2008 Jul 31, a study suggests that high intake of vitamin E and selected carotenoids may reduce risk of gastric cancer while high or even moderate intake of sodium may boost the risk.

The study led by Pelucchi C and colleagues from Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri" in Milan, Italy was meant to provide more evidence for the established association between high intake of non-starchy vegetables and fruits and reduced risk of gastric cancer.

The researchers examined data on several micronutrients and minerals from an Italian case-control study completed between 1997 and 2007. The study involved 230 patients with confirmed gastric cancer and 547 matched controls, admitted with acute conditions.

Subjects in the quartile with highest intake of vitamin E, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene were 50, 48 and 58 percent less likely to have gastric cancer respectively than those in the quartile with the lowest quartile.

Compared to subjects who were in the quartile with the lowest intake of sodium, people in all other three quartiles were all about 2. 5 times more likely to have gastric cancer.

However, no significant association was found between risk of gastric cancer and other nutrients including iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin D, retinol, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein plus zeaxanthin.