Abstract A83: A prospective study of dietary vitamin D intake and total all-cause mortality and cancer mortality in men and women

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Abstract Introduction: Recent research investigating the vitamin D-cancer hypothesis has generally focused on outcomes of cancer incidence, with few studies examining the effects of vitamin D on mortality. Using data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, we analysed the relationships between dietary vitamin D consumption and total all-cause mortality and cancer specific mortality. Methods: Vitamin D intakes were estimated from dietary questionnaires administered at recruitment. Risk estimates for total all-cause mortality and cancer specific mortality were obtained by using Cox proportional hazards models, stratified by age at recruitment and study centre, and adjusted for smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, and intakes of total energy, alcohol, calcium, saturated fat, cholesterol and vegetables. Our main analysis included all participants. In secondary analyses, we excluded individuals who reported previous chronic disease at baseline (stroke, cancer, and myocardial infarction). Results: After a mean follow-up of 9.7 years there were 21,345 all-cause deaths and 8,332 cancer-related deaths among the 475,862 participants. For total all-cause mortality, no associations were observed when the highest intake quintile of vitamin D was compared against the lowest in men (HR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.75-1.04; P-trend 0.13) and women (HR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.87-1.12; P-trend 0.83). For total cancer mortality, a statistically significant 23% reduction in risk was observed among men in the highest vitamin D intake quartile compared with the lowest (HR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.60-0.99). No association was observed for total cancer mortality amongst women (Q5 vs. Q1 HR 1.04, 95% CI: 0.88-1.23). For male colorectal cancer mortality, a reduced risk was observed when participants in the highest intake quartile were compared with those in the lowest intake quartile (HR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.19-1.30; P-trend 0.05). No significant associations were observed for vitamin D intake and colorectal cancer mortality amongst women. Results from the secondary analyses (i.e., excluding existing conditions at baseline) were generally similar to the primary analysis; however the association for colorectal cancer risk amongst men was slightly stronger and statistically significant (HR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.10-0.94; P-trend <0.01). Conclusion: Results from this large prospective study suggest that higher dietary vitamin D intakes may reduce the risk of overall cancer mortality and colorectal cancer mortality in men. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):A83.