Higher vitamin C intake associated with reduced cancer risk in CKD patients, reveals study

A recent study explored the impact of vitamin intake on cancer risk among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and revealed promising results with vitamins C and E. The key findings of the study were published in the International Urology and Nephrology.

Chronic kidney disease affects kidney function over time and often limits the dietary choices of patients which in turn can impact nutrient intake, including vital vitamins. This study sought to identify whether specific vitamin intakes might be associated with reduced cancer mortality among this population.

This study was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2018 and included a total of 3,518 CKD patients with the analysis spanning from June to December 2023. The participants were divided into four groups based on their vitamin consumption levels that was determined through K-mean clustering. The mean age of the participants was approximately 61.8 years and they were followed for a median period of 7.3 years. During this time span, a total of 137 patients succumbed to cancer.

The findings found high intake of vitamin E was linked to a nearly 55% reduction in cancer mortality when compared to the individuals with the lowest intake (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.45, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.24-0.87, P=0.018). Also, a linear relationship between increasing vitamin E intake and decreasing cancer mortality was observed that suggests greater consumption of vitamin E could consistently benefit the CKD patients in terms of cancer risk.

A dietary pattern high in both vitamin C and vitamin K was also associated with a reduced risk of cancer death. The patients in the high C/K vitamin intake group underwent a 58% decrease in the risk of dying from cancer when compared to the individuals with a low vitamin intake (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.20-0.88, P=0.022). These results underline the importance of dietary management in CKD with regard to vitamin supplementation. Overall, vitamins C and E were both known for their antioxidant properties that could play a crucial role in reducing the burden of cancer in CKD patients by suggesting a potentially pivotal area for dietary intervention.

Source:

Li, J., Liu, Z., Xie, X., Peng, L., Dai, H., Gao, C., Mao, W., Yuan, W., Zhao, X., Zhang, H., & Peng, F. (2024). Dietary vitamin intake and cancer risk in patients with chronic kidney disease: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2018). In International Urology and Nephrology. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-024-04060-2