Supplement use among cancer survivors in the VITAL study cohort Heather Greenlee, Emily White, Ruth Patterson, Alan Kristal. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA. A large percentage of the US population is using vitamin, mineral, herbal or specialty supplements, in part for prevention and treatment of medical conditions. These analyses provide a description of the use of specific supplements by cancer survivors in a large-scale cross-sectional cohort. Our objectives are to determine if there is an association between the high use of specific supplements among those with a history of cancer, by anatomic site. Using names from a commercial mailing list, 330,000 men and women in western Washington state, age 50-76, were contacted by mail between October 2000 and September 2002, with the goal of recruiting 75,000 people to join a cohort study of supplement use and future cancer risk (VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) study). Respondents completed a questionnaire covering detailed information on vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplement use over the previous 10 years and information on other cancer risk factors including diet, physical activity, medical history, and demographic characteristics. All information, including cancer diagnosis, is based on self-report. Current "high use" of each vitamin and mineral supplement was defined as a dosage that would be higher than a dose obtained from a daily multivitamin. By September 2002, 75,288 participants (47.2% men, 52.7% women) returned the questionnaire. Cancer survivors comprised 14.5% (n=10,857) of the population and cancer-free controls served as the comparison group (85.5%, n=64,226). Results show no statistically important differences in the numbers of supplements that the two groups are taking. Separate logistic regression analyses were run to determine if there was an association between the use of an individual supplement (n=36) and the 10 most common specific cancers. Of these, 27 were found to have a p value <.01. Computed odds ratios and confidence intervals (p value <.01) for the five most common cancers and the associated high use supplements in this cohort are as follows: breast (n=3,008): vitamin E 1.17 (1.08, 1.26), vitamin B6 1.20 (1.07, 1.35), calcium 1.13 (1.04, 1.22), soy 1.33 (1.07, 1.65), co-enzyme Q10 1.32 (1.12, 1.56); prostate (n=1,891): soy 1.99(1.38, 2.87); melanoma (n=1,287): vitamin A 1.27 (1.07, 1.51); colorectal (n=924): vitamin A 1.59 (1.31, 1.92), folic acid 1.33 (1.08, 1.62), iron 1.40 (1.09, 1.79); and cervical (n=801): ginkgo biloba 1.40 (1.09, 1.80), melatonin 1.86 (1.19, 2.90). From these analyses we can conclude that cancer survivors are more likely to use high doses of certain dietary supplements. Additional research needs to be conducted on the efficacy and safety of these specific supplements in these specific cancer populations. AACR Abstract Number: R5689, 2003 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.