Positive Health Online

Abstract

SATIA and others, Department of Global Epidemiology, Amgen, Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, 24-1-C, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA, jessie.satia@amgen.com, have studied the connections between diet, lifestyle, and genomic instability in a large cancer study.

Background

Microsatellite instability is a form of genome instability that occurs in 10-20% of sporadic, and almost all of inherited, colon cancers. The aim of this study was to look at environmental factors that might influence this instability.

Methodology

Data from a large North Carolina cancer study were used (486 colon cancer cases and 1,048 matched controls). Associations between diet (total energy intake, macronutrients, micronutrients, and food groups) and microsatellite instability were evaluated. Multivariate statistical analysis yielded the odds ratios.

Results

The strongest associations between diet and microsatellite instability were observed in case-control comparisons: there was a robust inverse association between high instability and beta-carotene [Odds Ratio 0.4] and positive associations with refined carbohydrates (Odds Ratio 2.2) and red meat intake (Odds Ratio 2.0). Compared with controls, low microsatellite instability or non-microsatellite instability tumours were significantly associated with vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, dietary fibre, and dark green vegetables, and positively associated with total energy intake.

Conclusion

Red meat and refined carbohydrates may be associated with microsatellite instability and thus with a higher risk of colon cancer, and beta-carotene may have a protective effect.

References

Satia JA, Keku T, Galanko JA, Martin C, Doctolero RT, Tajima A, Sandler RS, Carethers JM. Diet, lifestyle, and genomic instability in the North Carolina Colon Cancer Study. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 14 (2): 429-436, Feb 2005.