chondroitin and Colorectal-Neoplasms

Studies have shown an inverse association between use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements and colorectal cancer risk. However, the association with the precursor lesion, colorectal adenoma and serrated polyp, has not been examined.. Analyses include 43,163 persons from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), and NHS2 who reported on glucosamine/chondroitin use in 2002 and who subsequently underwent ≥1 lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. By 2012, 5,715 conventional (2,016 high-risk) adenomas were detected, as were 4,954 serrated polyps. Multivariable logistic regression for clustered data was used to calculate OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI).. Glucosamine/chondroitin use was inversely associated with high risk and any conventional adenoma in NHS and HPFS: in the pooled multivariable-adjusted model, glucosamine + chondroitin use at baseline was associated with a 26% (OR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.90;. Glucosamine/chondroitin use was associated with lower risks of high-risk and overall conventional adenoma in older adults; however, this association did not hold in younger women, or for serrated polyps.. Our study suggests that glucosamine and chondroitin may act on early colorectal carcinogenesis in older adults.

Topics: Adenoma; Adenomatous Polyps; Adult; Chondroitin; Colorectal Neoplasms; Female; Glucosamine; Humans; Male; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors

Recent epidemiologic evidence has emerged to suggest that use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements may be associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We therefore evaluated the association between use of these non-vitamin, non-mineral supplements and risk of CRC in two prospective cohorts, the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Regular use of glucosamine and chondroitin was first assessed in 2002 and participants were followed until 2010, over which time 672 CRC cases occurred. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate relative risks (RRs) within each cohort, and results were pooled using a random effects meta-analysis. Associations were comparable across cohorts, with a RR of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.63-1.00) observed for any use of glucosamine and a RR of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.59-1.01) observed for any use of chondroitin. Use of glucosamine in the absence of chondroitin was not associated with risk of CRC, whereas use of glucosamine + chondroitin was significantly associated with risk (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.58-0.999). The association between use of glucosamine + chondroitin and risk of CRC did not change markedly when accounting for change in exposure status over follow-up (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.58-0.96), nor did the association significantly vary by sex, aspirin use, body mass index, or physical activity. The association was comparable for cancers of the colon and rectum. Results support a protective association between use of glucosamine and chondroitin and risk of CRC. Further study is needed to better understand the chemopreventive potential of these supplements.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Chondroitin; Colorectal Neoplasms; Dietary Supplements; Epidemiologic Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glucosamine; Health Personnel; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; United States

Glucosamine and chondroitin are non-vitamin, non-mineral supplements which have anti-inflammatory properties. These supplements are typically used for joint pain and osteoarthritis and are commonly taken as either glucosamine alone or glucosamine plus chondroitin. An exploratory analysis conducted within the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) study observed any use of glucosamine and chondroitin to be associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) after 5 years of follow-up.. With two additional years of follow-up, we have studied these associations in greater depth, including associations by frequency/duration of use and by formulation, and have evaluated whether observed associations are modified by factors associated with inflammation. Participants include 75,137 western Washington residents aged 50-76 who completed the mailed VITAL questionnaire between 2000 and 2002. Use of glucosamine and chondroitin was ascertained by questions about supplement use during the 10-year period prior to baseline, and participants were followed for CRC through 2008 (n = 557). Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).. Persons reporting use of glucosamine + chondroitin on 4+ days/week for 3+ years had a non-statistically significant 45 % lower CRC risk than non-users (HR: 0.55; 95 % CI 0.30-1.01; p-trend: 0.16). This association varied by body mass index (p-interaction: 0.006), with inverse association observed among the overweight/obese (p-trend: 0.02), but not among the underweight/normal weight. Use of glucosamine alone was not significantly associated with CRC risk.. There is great need to identify safe and effective cancer preventive strategies, suggesting that glucosamine and chondroitin may merit further attention as a potential chemopreventive agent.

Topics: Aged; Chondroitin; Cohort Studies; Colorectal Neoplasms; Dietary Supplements; Female; Glucosamine; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Northwestern United States; Prospective Studies; Registries; Risk Factors; SEER Program

Millions of Americans use dietary supplements with little knowledge about their benefits or risks. We examined associations of various herbal/specialty supplements with lung and colorectal cancer risk. Men and women, 50 to 76 years, in the VITamins And Lifestyle cohort completed a 24-page baseline questionnaire that captured duration (years) and frequency (days per week) of use of commonly used herbal/specialty supplements. Dose was not assessed due to the lack of accurate potency information. Supplement exposure was categorized as "no use" or "any use" over the previous 10 years. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by multivariate Cox regression models. Incident lung (n = 665) and colorectal cancers (n = 428) were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry. Any use of glucosamine and chondroitin, which have anti-inflammatory properties, over the previous 10 years, was associated with significantly lower lung cancer risk: HR 0.74 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.58-0.94] and HR 0.72 (95% CI, 0.54-0.96) and colorectal cancer risk: HR 0.73 (95% CI, 0.54-0.98) and HR 0.65 (95% CI, 0.45-0.93), respectively. There were also statistically significantly inverse associations of fish oil: HR 0.65 (95% CI, 0.42-0.99), methylsulfonylmethane: HR 0.46 (95% CI, 0.23-0.93), and St. John's wort: HR 0.35 (95% CI, 0.14-0.85) with colorectal cancer risk. In contrast, garlic pills were associated with a statistically significant 35% elevated colorectal cancer risk. These results suggest that some herbal/specialty supplements may be associated with lung and colorectal cancer risk; however, these products should be used with caution. Additional studies examining the effects of herbal/specialty supplements on risk for cancer and other diseases are needed.

Topics: Aged; Chondroitin; Colorectal Neoplasms; Dietary Supplements; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Female; Fish Oils; Garlic; Glucosamine; Humans; Hypericum; Incidence; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk Factors; SEER Program; Sulfones; United States