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Research: HUNCHAREK and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 78
Abstract
HUNCHAREK and colleagues, Department of Clinical Oncology, Marshfield Clinic Cancer Center, Marshfield, WI, USA, metaresearch@hotmail.com, evaluated relevant literature, using meta-analysis, to determine whether there was convincing evidence for a link between high dietary intake of beta-carotene and lowered risk of epithelial ovarian cancer .
Background
Methodology
Literature searches were undertaken to identify relevant studies conforming to predetermined inclusion criteria. Statistical procedures used included a general variance-based meta-analysis. The main outcome measure was the calculation of a summary relative risk (RR) that reflected the risk of ovarian cancer in relation to high versus low dietary beta-carotene intake .
Results
Data from five observational studies involving a total of 3,782 subjects, which showed a lack of statistical heterogeneity, were pooled for meta-analysis. The results revealed a statistically significant summary RR of 0.84, indicating that high (compared with low) dietary beta-carotene intake is associated with a 16% decrease in risk of ovarian cancer . The researchers performed sensitivity analyses on the data, which confirmed that study design differences and differences in quantitative measures of beta-carotene across studies did not affect the calculated summary RR.
Conclusion
High dietary intake of beta-carotene appears to contribute a modest degree of protection against the development of ovarian cancer. Further studies are needed to identify what factors might influence beta-carotene's effects in the body.
References
Huncharek M et al . Dietary beta-carotene intake and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis of 3,782 subjects from five observational studies. In Vivo 15 (4): 339-43. Jul-Aug 2001.
