Vitamin E May Prevent Pancreatic Cancer

ROCKVILLE, M.D.—Results from a recent study support researcher’s hypothesis that higher tocopherol concentrations may play a protective role in pancreatic carcinogenesis in male smokers (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89:584-91) (DOI:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26423).

Researchers conducted a cohort analysis of pre-diagnostic vitamin E intake (4 tocopherols, 4 tocotrienols), serum-tocopherol concentrations and pancreatic cancer in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study of male Finnish smokers aged 50 to 69 years at baseline. During follow-up from 1985 to 2004, 318 incident cases were diagnosed among cohort participants with complete serum samples (n=29,092); 306 cases had complete dietary data (n=27,111).

Higher tocopherol concentrations were associated with lower pancreatic cancer risk. Polyunsaturated fat, a putative prooxidant nutrient, modified the association such that the inverse-tocopherol association was most pronounced in subjects with a high polyunsaturated fat intake. No associations were observed for dietary tocopherols and tocotrienols.