Positive Health Online

Abstract

RUARO-RAVINA and co-authors, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, c/ San Francisco s/n, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain, have reviewed (68 references) antioxidant vitamins and the risk of lung cancer.

Abstract: Smoking is the leading risk factor for lung cancer, yet in addition diet may also play a role in the disease’s appearance. This review aimed to describe the results yielded by different studies, which have addressed antioxidant vitamin intake and lung cancer, and to indicate the mechanisms whereby these nutrients might be exercising their activity. Antioxidant vitamins were observed to have no clear protective effect, though there was some evidence pointing to a protective role for vitamins C and E. Vitamin A, in contrast, evinced no clear effect. Insofar as provitamin A carotenoids were concerned, lutein/zeaxanthin, lycopene and alpha-carotene displayed a certain protective trend, yet beta-carotene exhibited no protective effect whatsoever; and indeed, there was speculation as to whether it might even be pernicious in smokers. Beta-cryptoxanthin, on the other hand, showed a more consistent protective effect. The study highlighted the need to conduct further research on smokers and non-smokers alike, and in particular, to investigate the effect, if any, on lung cancer of carotenoids or vitamins when ingested in various amounts.

Background

Methodology

Results

Conclusion

References

Ruano-Ravina A, Figueiras A, Freire-Garabal M, Barros-Dios JM. Antioxidant vitamins and risk of lung cancer. Current Pharmaceutical Design 12 (5): 599-613, 2006.