American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 153, No. 12 : 1142-1147 Copyright © 2001 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health Serum Carotenoids and Breast Cancer Paolo Toniolo1,2,3, Anne Linda Van Kappel4, Arslan Akhmedkhanov1,3, Pietro Ferrari4, Ikuko Kato2,3, Roy E. Shore2,3 and Elio Riboli4 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. 2 Kaplan Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY. 3 Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. 4 Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France. The consumption of vegetables and fruit may protect against many types of cancer, but research evidence is not compelling for breast cancer. Carotenoids are pigments that are present in most plants and have known antioxidant properties. Blood concentrations of carotenoids have been proposed as integrated biochemical markers of vegetable, fruit, and synthetic supplements consumed. In a case-control study (270 cases, 270 controls) nested within a cohort in New York during 1985–1994, the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, ß-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, -carotene, and ß-carotene were measured in archived serum samples using liquid chromatography. There was an evident increase in the risk of breast cancer for decreasing ß-carotene, lutein, -carotene, and ß-cryptoxanthin. The risk of breast cancer approximately doubled among subjects with blood levels of ß-carotene at the lowest quartile, as compared with those at the highest quartile (odds ratio = 2.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29, 3.79). The risk associated with the other carotenoids was similar, varying between 2.08 (95% CI: 1.11, 3.90) for lutein and 1.68 (95% CI: 0.99, 2.86) for ß-cryptoxanthin. The odds ratio for the lower quartile of total carotenoids was 2.31 (95% CI: 1.35, 3.96). These observations offer evidence that a low intake of carotenoids, through poor diet and/or lack of vitamin supplementation, may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer and may have public health relevance for people with markedly low intakes. 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.