Short Communication

British Journal of Cancer (2003) 88, 1682–1686. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600946 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 27 May 2003

Are diet–prostate cancer associations mediated by the IGF axis? A cross-sectional analysis of diet, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in healthy middle-aged men

D Gunnell1, S E Oliver2, T J Peters3, J L Donovan1, R Persad4, M Maynard5, D Gillatt4, A Pearce4, F C Hamdy6, D E Neal7 and J M P Holly4

  1. 1Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2PR, UK
  2. 2Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
  3. 3Division of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol, Cotham House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JL, UK
  4. 4Division of Surgery, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8HW, UK
  5. 5MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, 3–5 Islington High St., London N1 9LQ, UK
  6. 6Academic Urology Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
  7. 7Oncology Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Box 193, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK

Correspondence: Dr D Gunnell, E-mail: D.J.Gunnell@bristol.ac.uk

Received 25 November 2002; Revised 28 February 2003; Accepted 28 February 2003.

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Abstract

We examined the association of diet with insulin-like growth factors (IGF) in 344 disease-free men. Raised levels of IGF-1 and/or its molar ratio with IGFBP-3 were associated with higher intakes of milk, dairy products, calcium, carbohydrate and polyunsaturated fat; lower levels with high vegetable consumption, particularly tomatoes. These patterns support the possibility that IGFs may mediate some diet–cancer associations.

Keywords:

prostate cancer, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, diet, epidemiology