- Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men all over the world.
- Vitamins and micronutrients may influence the risk of developing prostate cancer, according to various studies.
- Profiling of micronutrients to study their effects on adenocarcinoma of the prostate was done in a recent study.
It was discovered that higher serum levels of vitamin E were associated with a lower prostate cancer risk whereas the effect of vitamin E supplementation in controlled trials did not have the same effect. In case of smokers, supplementation with beta-carotene was associated with a higher prostate cancer risk.
High serum levels of retinol (Vitamin A precursor) and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D were also related to a higher risk of prostate cancer. Lower serum levels of lipid and metabolites like citrate, inositol-1-phosphate, lysolipids, and alpha-ketoglutarate were related to a significantly lower risk of aggressive cancer.
Multivitamin Use and Prostate Cancer
A growing number of people are taking multivitamin supplements nowadays as a protective measure against cancer, including prostate cancer, because of their highlighted beneficial effects like anti-oxidant properties. The association of vitamins and micronutrients with prostate cancer risk has remained unclear despite various studies conducted in the past.ATBC (Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention) study published in the International Journal of Cancer performed an analysis of prostate cancer risk on 200 cases and 200 controls by examining fasting serum samples collected 1-20 years prior to diagnosis. Liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy of the samples confirmed that lower levels of energy and lipid metabolites were associated with aggressive forms of cancer; inositol-1-phosphate demonstrated the strongest association.
Prospects of Metabolomics in Studying Prostate Cancer Risk
During the transformation of normal body cells to neoplastic (cancerous) ones, the prostate cells reprogram themselves to meet the changing metabolic requirements for the growth of cancerous cells. An early change that is observed is the loss of zinc accumulation and an increase in lipid biosynthesis which in turn aids cell proliferation. Profiling the metabolites, known as metabolomics profiling, can help in understanding their roles in the biochemical pathways that aid growth and multiplication of neoplastic cells.There is also a need to further investigate the role of vitamins and micronutrients in prostate cancer pathogenesis. How and why vitamin A and D are associated with increased cancer risk and whether low dose supplementation with vitamin E can alter prostate risk remain the subject matter for further study and research.
The study shall soon be published in the World Journal of Urology.
References:
- Mondul AM et al; Vitamins, Metabolomics and Prostate Cancer; World Journal of Urology June 2016
- Karla A. Lawson et al; Multivitamin Use and Risk of Prostate Cancer in the National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study; JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst 99 (10): 754-764. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djk177
- Mondul AM et al; Metabolomic analysis of prostate cancer risk in a prospective cohort: The alpha-tocolpherol, beta-carotene cancer prevention (ATBC) study; Int J Cancer. 2015 Nov 1;137(9):2124-32. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29576