Chapel Hill, N.C.—Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found long-term use of individual beta-carotene, retinol and lutein supplements should not be recommended for lung cancer prevention, particularly among smokers (Am J Epidemiol. 2009) (DOI:10.1093/aje/kwn409).
The authors examined associations of supplemental beta-carotene, retinol, vitamin A, lutein and lycopene with lung cancer risk among participants, aged 50 to 76 years, in the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort Study in Washington State. In 2000 to 2002, 77, 126 eligible persons completed a 24-page baseline questionnaire, including detailed questions about supplement use (duration, frequency, dose) during the previous 10 years from multivitamins and individual supplements/mixtures. Longer duration of use of individual beta-carotene, retinol and lutein supplements (but not total 10-year average dose) was associated with statistically significantly elevated risk of total lung cancer and histologic cell types. There was little evidence for effect modification by gender or smoking status.