A high dietary and total folate intake may be associated with a reduced risk for pancreatic cancer, according to a Swedish study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on March 15, 2006.
In this study, 81,922 Swedish men and women who did not have cancer completed a 96-item food-frequency questionnaire in 1997. After an average 6.8 years of follow-up, 135 cases of pancreatic cancer (exocrine type) were observed. An analysis of age, smoking, fruit and vegetable consumption, and other dietary factors was performed.
The results showed that dietary and total folate intake (a combination of dietary folate and folic acid supplements) were independently associated with a reduced risk for the development of pancreatic cancer. This association was not observed for folic acid supplementation alone. In addition, current smoking, obesity, and a history of diabetes were significantly more common in individuals who developed pancreatic cancer than those who did not.
The strengths of this study include a large population-based and prospective research design. Limitations of the study may include some degree of misclassification of folate intake because of the self-administered nature of the food questionnaire used and because of changes in diet during follow up.
In this study, the researchers concluded that an "increased intake of folate from food sources, but not from supplements, may be associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer" and "our results suggest that increased consumption of foods naturally rich in folate may be beneficial."
For more information on pancreatic cancer, please see the following sources:
- Monahan Center www.monahancenter.org
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network www.pancan.org
- American Cancer Society www.cancer.org
- American Society of Clinical Oncology www.plwc.org
- National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov
- Monahan Center www.monahancenter.org/trials
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network www.pancan.org/Patient/pals.html
