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Review
. 2018 Nov 5:10:5395-5410.
doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S168413. eCollection 2018.

Dietary vitamin B intake and the risk of esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis

Jun-Li Ma  1 , Yan Zhao  1 , Chen-Yang Guo  1 , Hong-Tao Hu  1 , Lin Zheng  1 , Er-Jiang Zhao  2 , Hai-Liang Li  1
Affiliations
Review

Dietary vitamin B intake and the risk of esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis

Jun-Li Ma et al. Cancer Manag Res. .

Abstract

Background: Several epidemiology studies have explored the association between dietary B vitamins' intake and the risk of esophageal cancer (EC). However, the results remain inconclusive. Thus, we conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to evaluate such association.

Methods: Literature retrieval was performed using PubMed (Medline), ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library electronic databases for all studies published from database inception to December 2017.

Results: The meta-analysis included 19 studies and showed an overall decreased risk of EC (OR=0.77, 95% CI: 0.68-0.87) in association with multivitamin B (ie, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12) dietary intake. In a subgroup analysis based on vitamin B subclass, B1, B3, B6, and B9 vitamins were associated with decreased EC risk (vitamin B1: OR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.56-0.82; vitamin B3: OR=0.70, 95% CI: 0.53-0.94; vitamin B6: OR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.49-0.83; and vitamin B9: OR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.55-0.86). By contrast, no association was detected between dietary vitamin B2 and vitamin B5 intake and EC risk (vitamin B2: OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.64-1.16; vitamin B5: OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.20-1.20), whereas a potential non-linear dose-response association was found between dietary vitamin B12 intake and EC risk. A statistically significant, inverse association was observed for an increase of 100 µg/day in supplemental vitamin B6 and B9 and EC risk (vitamin B6: OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99; vitamin B9: OR= 0.89; 95% CI: 0.86-0.94).

Conclusion: These findings support that vitamin B may have an influence on carcinogenesis of the esophagus. Vitamin B1, B3, B6, B9 showed a decreased risk of EC, and vitamin B12 showed an increased risk of EC.

Keywords: B vitamins; esophageal cancer; meta-analysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The flow diagram of screened, excluded, and analyzed publications.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot between highest vs lowest categories of vitamin B1 intake and EC risk. Abbreviation: EC, esophageal cancer.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot between highest vs lowest categories of vitamin B2 intake and esophageal cancer risk. Abbreviation: ES, esophageal squamous carcinoma.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot between highest vs lowest categories of vitamin B3 intake and esophageal cancer risk. Abbreviation: ES,.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot between highest vs lowest categories of vitamin B6 intake and esophageal cancer risk. Abbreviation: ES,.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forest plot between highest vs lowest categories of vitamin B9 intake and esophageal cancer risk. Abbreviation: ES,.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Forest plot between highest vs lowest categories of vitamin B12 intake and esophageal cancer risk. Abbreviation: ES,.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Non-linear dose–response analysis on vitamin B12 intake and esophageal cancer risk.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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