Association between vitamin A, retinol intake and blood retinol level and gastric cancer risk: A meta-analysis

Yihua Wu; Yao Ye; Yu Shi; Peiwei Li; Jinming Xu; Kun Chen; Enping Xu; Jun Yang

doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2014.06.007

Association between vitamin A, retinol intake and blood retinol level and gastric cancer risk: A meta-analysis

Clin Nutr. 2015 Aug;34(4):620-6. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2014.06.007. Epub 2014 Jun 23.

Authors

Yihua Wu¹, Yao Ye¹, Yu Shi², Peiwei Li¹, Jinming Xu¹, Kun Chen¹, Enping Xu³, Jun Yang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, Hangzhou 310058, China.
² State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
³ Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: xep@zju.edu.cn.
⁴ Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China; Department of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, 16, Xuelin Str., Xiasha High Education Zone, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310036, China. Electronic address: gastate@yahoo.com.

PMID: 25008141
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2014.06.007

Abstract

Background & aims: The association between dietary vitamin A, retinol intake and blood retinol level and gastric cancer risk has been investigated by many studies. However, the results of these studies were controversial. The aim of our study was to systematically assess this issue.

Methods: PUBMED and EMBASE were searched, supplemented with manual-screening for relevant publications. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the association between vitamin A, retinol dietary intake or blood retinol level and gastric cancer risk.

Results: Thirty-one studies were included in this meta-analysis. Comparing the highest with the lowest categories, vitamin A intake significantly reduced gastric cancer risk (pooled RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.52-0.84), whereas a marginally inverse association was found between retinol intake (pooled RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.87-1.03) or blood retinol level (pooled RR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.73-1.05) and gastric cancer risk. Interestingly, the results of subgroup analysis indicated that high vitamin A intake and blood retinol level were associated with reduced gastric cancer risk in Western countries, while a marginally inverse association was found between retinol and gastric cancer risk in Western countries.

Conclusions: Vitamin A intake was inversely associated with gastric cancer risk, while no significant association was found with retinol intake or blood retinol level.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; Incidence; Meta-analysis; Retinol; Vitamin A.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Databases, Factual
Humans
Risk Factors
Stomach Neoplasms / prevention & control*
Vitamin A / administration & dosage*
Vitamin A / blood*

Substances

Vitamin A