THURSDAY, Jan. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The use of supplemental vitamins C and E and beta-carotene -- all antioxidants -- does not appear to reduce the incidence of total cancer or cancer mortality in middle-aged and older women, according to research published in the Jan. 7 Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Jennifer Lin, Ph.D., of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from 7,627 women who were randomized to receive 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily, 600 IU of alpha-tocopherol every other day, 50 milligrams of beta carotene every other day or placebo. Some received more than one supplement. Women had no history of cancer, and the mean age was 60.4.
Over an average 9.4 years of follow-up, 624 developed invasive cancer, and 176 died of cancer. No antioxidant showed a statistically significant effect on total cancer incidence or cancer mortality. Combined use of the three antioxidants was not linked to cancer incidence or death either.
"Two of the specific findings reported by Lin et al. deserve additional mention because they corroborate previous trial results and demonstrate the potential for site-specific efficacy. The first is the possible effect of vitamin E supplementation in preventing colorectal cancer (RR = 0.63). ... The second is the elevated lung cancer risk in the beta carotene arm, along with modest excess overall cancer risk in smokers and heavier drinkers," writes the author of an accompanying editorial.
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