Intake of vegetables, fruits, carotenoids and vitamins C and E and pancreatic cancer risk in The Netherlands Cohort Study

• Published in: International journal of cancer Vol. 130; no. 1; pp. 147 - 158
• Main Authors: Heinen, Mirjam M., Verhage, Bas A.J., Goldbohm, R. Alexandra, van den Brandt, Piet A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.01.2012; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Body mass; Cancer; Carotenoids; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; cohort study; Confidence intervals; Diet Records; Dietary Supplements; Diets; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fruit; Fruits; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Health risk assessment; Health Surveys; Humans; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; microscopic confirmation; Middle Aged; Netherlands - epidemiology; Pancreas; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Pancreatic Neoplasms - etiology; Pancreatic Neoplasms - prevention & control; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Smoking; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tumors; Vegetables; Vitamin E - administration & dosage; Vitamins; Netherlands; Europe; Ascorbic acid; Vegetables; Fruit; Nutrition; Malignant tumor; Feeding; pancreatic cancer; Cancerology; Diet; Vitamin E; Cohort study; Pancreas cancer; Risk factor; microscopic confirmation; Digestive diseases; Carotenoid; Cancer; Pancreatic disease
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25989

Epidemiological data investigating the relation between fruit and vegetable consumption and pancreatic cancer risk have shown inconsistent results so far. Most case‐control studies observed an inverse association with total fruit and vegetable consumption, whereas results from most cohort studies have largely been null. We examined prospectively the relation between pancreatic cancer risk and intake of vegetables, fruits, carotenoids and vitamins C and E. The Netherlands Cohort Study consisted of 120,852 men and women who completed a questionnaire at baseline in 1986, including a validated 150‐item food‐frequency questionnaire. After 16.3 years of follow‐up, 423 cases were available for analysis. Total vegetable and total fruit consumption were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk (highest vs. lowest quintile, multivariable‐adjusted hazard rate ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.86‐1.75 and multivariable‐adjusted hazard rate ratio = 0.90, 95% confidence interval: 0.66‐1.24, respectively). Also, for cooked vegetables, raw vegetables and vegetables and fruits classified into subgroups, no associations were observed. Dietary carotenoids, vitamin C and E intake and supplements containing vitamin C or E were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk. The results were not modified by sex, smoking status and body mass index. In conclusion, we observed no association between a high consumption of vegetables and fruits and pancreatic cancer risk in this large cohort study, which is in agreement with previous prospective studies. Furthermore, we observed no association between the intake of carotenoids, vitamins and vitamin supplements and pancreatic cancer risk.