Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2008 Oct;51(10):1103-1111.

Folic acid and vitamin B12 intake in relation to risk of endometrial cancer: Case-control study

• Lee KH
• Lee JK
• Kim JH
• Lee JM
• Song ES
• Kim MK

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of folic acid and vitamin B12 in the etiology of endometrial cancer, we performed a case-control study comparing oral intakes of folic acid, vitamin B12 and serum levels of folate and vitamin B12 in 48 endometrial cancer patients and 563 controls.
METHODS
From August 2005 to August 2006, 48 histologically diagnosed endometrial cancer patients and 563 controls were enrolled in the study. Informations about dietary intake of folic acid, vitamin B12 were obtained by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) and serum levels of folate and vitamin B12 were measured. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were assessed with logistic regression and adjusted for energy, age, smoking status, alcohol consumption status, BMI, menopause, oral contraceptive use.
RESULTS
Endometrial cancer risk was not significantly associated with intakes of folic acid and vitamin B12. After assessing tertile subgroup levels of folic acid intake, multivariate OR of 2nd tertile subgroup was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.36~1.6) and multivariate OR of 3rd tertile subgroup was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.45~1.9). And according to tertile subgroup levels of vitamin B12 intake, multivariate OR of 2nd tertile subgroup was 1.17 (95% CI: 0.57~2.39) and multivariate OR of 3rd tertile subgroup was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.43~2.05). However, serum folate and vitamin B12 levels were significantly associated with a reduction of endometrial cancer risk as a result of multivariate OR 0.42 (95% CI: 0.22~0.78) and 0.32 (95% CI: 0.15~0.68) by logistic regression.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that dietary intakes of folic acid and vitamin B12 are not significantly related to the risk of endometrial cancer. But we could confirm reduction of endometrial cancer risk in higher serum folate and higher serum vitamin B12 subgroup.

Keyword

Folic acid; Vitamin B12; Endometrial cancer

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Case-Control Studies
Endometrial Neoplasms
Female
Folic Acid
Humans
Logistic Models
Menopause
Odds Ratio
Surveys and Questionnaire
Smoke
Smoking
Vitamin B 12
Vitamins
Folic Acid
Smoke
Vitamin B 12
Vitamins