Folate May Protect Thinner Individuals Against Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Eva Schernhammer, MD, DrPH, and colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) evaluated whether nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 helped reduce peoples’ risk for developing pancreatic cancer, because one-carbon nutrient deficiencies can cause DNA breaks and subsequent cellular mutation. The researchers, however, report in the June 1, 2007 issue of Cancer Research that they did not find a significant association between these nutrient levels and a reduced risk for pancreatic cancer among the majority of the 800-plus participants.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the US, and unfortunately little is known about the pathogenesis and epidemiology of the disease other than smoking is associated with an increase risk. Recent studies have observed a positive association between obesity and pancreatic cancer, although the role of diet in the disease is less defined.One exception the BWH team observed, however, was among lean individuals. The researchers found an inverse relationship in these participants who consumed adequate amounts of folate though diet, not multivitamins.”Folate appeared to have a protective effect in thinner individuals, perhaps because they have always maintained relatively healthy diets,” Schernhammer explained. “But we didn’t see the same benefit in those who began taking multivitamins as adults.”(Source: Cancer Research : Brigham and Women’s Hospital : August 2007)