Associations between intake of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and risk of pancreatic cancer: a population-based, case-control study in Minnesota.

Experimental studies suggest that abnormal levels of Ca, Mg and phosphorus are implicated in pancreatic carcinogenesis. We investigated the associations between intakes of these minerals and the risk of pancreatic cancer in a case-control study conducted in 1994-1998. Cases of pancreatic cancer (n 150) were recruited from all hospitals in the metropolitan area of the Twin Cities and Mayo Clinic, Minnesota. Controls (n 459) were randomly selected from the general population and frequency matched to cases by age, sex and race. All dietary variables were adjusted for energy intake using the residual method prior to data analysis. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations between intake of three nutrients examined and the risk of pancreatic cancer. Total intake of Ca (936 v. 1026 mg/d) and dietary intake of Mg (315 v. 331 mg/d) and phosphorus (1350 v. 1402 mg/d) were significantly lower in cases than in controls. After adjustment for confounders, there were not significant associations of total and dietary intakes of Ca, Mg and phosphorus with the risk of pancreatic cancer. In addition, no significant interactions exist between intakes of these minerals and total fat on pancreatic cancer risk. In conclusion, the present study does not suggest that intakes of Ca, Mg and phosphorus were significantly associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Association between Urinary Phytoestrogens and C-reactive Protein in the Continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE: A reduced risk of some cancers and cardiovascular disease associated with phytoestrogen intake may be mediated through its effect on serum C-reactive protein (CRP; an inflammation biomarker). Therefore, this study examined the associations between urinary phytoestrogens and serum CRP. METHODS: Urinary phytoestrogen and serum CRP data obtained from 6009 participants aged ≥ 40 years in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1999-2010 were analyzed. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, urinary concentrations of total and all individual phytoestrogens were inversely associated with serum concentrations of CRP (all p < 0.004). The largest reductions in serum CRP (mg/L) per interquartile range increase in urinary phytoestrogens (ng/mL) were observed for total phytoestrogens (ß = -0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.22, -0.15), total lignan (ß = -0.15; 95% CI, -0.18, -0.12), and enterolactone (ß = -0.15; 95% CI, -0.19, -0.12). A decreased risk of having high CRP concentrations (≥3.0 mg/L) for quartile 4 vs quartile 1 was also found for total phytoestrogens (OR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53, 0.73), total lignan (OR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.54, 0.75), and enterolactone (OR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.51, 0.69). CONCLUSION: Urinary total and individual phytoestrogens were significantly inversely associated with serum CRP in a nationally representative sample of the U.S.

Urinary phytoestrogens and cancer, cardiovascular, and all-cause mortality in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PURPOSE: Experimental studies suggest that phytoestrogen intake alters cancer and cardiovascular risk. This study investigated the associations of urinary phytoestrogens with total cancer (n = 79), cardiovascular (n = 108), and all-cause (n = 290) mortality among 5179 participants in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004). METHODS: Urinary phytoestrogens were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for each of the three outcomes in relation to urinary phytoestrogens. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, higher urinary concentrations of total enterolignans were associated with a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease (HR for tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 0.48; 95 % CI 0.24, 0.97), whereas higher urinary concentrations of total isoflavones (HR for tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 2.14; 95 % CI 1.03, 4.47) and daidzein (HR for tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 2.05; 95 % CI 1.02, 4.11) were associated with an increased risk. A reduction in all-cause mortality was observed for elevated urinary concentrations of total enterolignans (HR for tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 0.65; 95 % CI 0.43, 0.96) and enterolactone (HR for tertile 3 vs. tertile 1 0.65; 95 % CI 0.44, 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Some urinary phytoestrogens were associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in a representative sample of the US population. This is one of the first studies that used urinary phytoestrogens as biomarkers of their dietary intake to evaluate the effect of these bioactive compounds on the risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.