Vitamin A and risk of cervical cancer: A meta-analysis

• Published in: Gynecologic oncology Vol. 124; no. 2; pp. 366 - 373
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xingliang, Dai, Bingqin, Zhang, Bingzhen, Wang, Zhiping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.02.2012
• Subjects: Carotenoids; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Meta-analysis; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Risk Factors; Uterine cervical neoplasms; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - blood; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - administration & dosage; Vitamin A - blood; Uterine cervical neoplasms; Vitamin A; Carotenoids; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 0090-8258; 1095-6859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2011.10.012

Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies assessing the association of vitamin A (retinol, carotene and other carotenoids) intake or blood (serum or plasma) levels of vitamin A (retinol and carotene) with risk of cervical cancer. Methods We evaluated the studies published in English and Chinese on diet or blood vitamin A for the risk of cervical cancer. We also reviewed reference lists from retrieved articles. Meta-analysis was applied to calculate the combined effect values and their 95% confidence intervals. The risk of bias was assessed by the Egger regression asymmetry test. Results As many as 11 articles on dietary vitamin A and 4 articles on blood vitamin A were selected according to the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis, for a total of 12,136 participants. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) of cervical cancer were 0.59 (95% CI, 0.49–0.72) for total vitamin A intake and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.41–0.89) for blood vitamin A levels. The combined ORs of cervical cancer were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.64–1.00), 0.51 (95% CI, 0.35–0.73) and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.43–0.84) for retinol, carotene and other carotenoid intake, and 1.14 (95% CI, 0.83–1.56) and 0.48 (95% CI, 0.30–0.77) for blood retinol and carotene. Conclusions Vitamin A intake and blood vitamin A levels were inversely associated with the risk of cervical cancer in this meta-analysis.