Plasma Alkylresorcinols, Biomarkers of Whole-Grain Wheat and Rye Intake, and Incidence of Colorectal Cancer

Abstract

BackgroundFew studies have investigated the association between whole-grain intake and colorectal cancer. Because whole-grain intake estimation might be prone to measurement errors, more objective measures (eg, biomarkers) could assist in investigating such associations.MethodsThe association between alkylresorcinols, biomarkers of whole-grain rye and wheat intake, and colorectal cancer incidence were investigated using prediagnostic plasma samples from colorectal cancer case patients and matched control subjects nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. We included 1372 incident colorectal cancer case patients and 1372 individual matched control subjects and calculated the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for overall and anatomical subsites of colorectal cancer using conditional logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Regional differences (Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, Central Europe) were also explored.ResultsHigh plasma total alkylresorcinol concentration was associated with lower incidence of distal colon cancer; the adjusted incidence rate ratio of distal colon cancer for the highest vs lowest quartile of plasma total alkylresorcinols was 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.28 to 0.83). An inverse association between plasma total alkylresorcinol concentrations and colon cancer was found for Scandinavian participants (IRR per doubling = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.70 to 0.98). However, plasma total alkylresorcinol concentrations were not associated with overall colorectal cancer, proximal colon cancer, or rectal cancer. Plasma alkylresorcinols concentrations were associated with colon and distal colon cancer only in Central Europe and Scandinavia (ie, areas where alkylresorcinol levels were higher).ConclusionsHigh concentrations of plasma alkylresorcinols were associated with a lower incidence of distal colon cancer but not with overall colorectal cancer, proximal colon cancer, and rectal cancer.

Plasma alkylresorcinols, biomarkers of whole-grain intake, are not associated with progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease

“…Observational studies in free-living adults have only recently begun to include measures of plasma AR concentrations as independent biomarkers for assessing wholegrain exposure (18)(19)(20)32) . In a small sample of 241 older community-dwelling adults, plasma AR concentrations were inversely associated with BMI (20) , confirming a previously observed inverse relationship between whole-grain intake and BMI (33) .…”

“…To date, few observational studies have used plasma AR as independent biomarkers of whole-grain intake to confirm observed associations between intake and disease outcomes (18)(19)(20) . The main advantage of using an independent biomarker of food intake to determine dietdisease associations in observational studies is that they are independent of subjective errors in reporting dietary intake (21) .…”

Dietary alkylresorcinols and cancer prevention: a systematic review

“…Four observational studies [69,[92][93][94] were included in analysis of the association of ARs intake with cancer risk, among which two studies [92,93] involved colorectal cancer. One study dealt with prostate cancer [69] and one study [94] with endometrial cancer (Table 1).…”

“…One study dealt with prostate cancer [69] and one study [94] with endometrial cancer (Table 1). The first study on colorectal cancer included a large, multicenter cohort with more than one million individuals from 10 European countries [92]. Total plasma concentration defined as a sum of plasma AR homologues C17:0, C19:0, C21:0, C23:0, and C25:0 was analyzed in matched case-control pairs.…”

The Influence of Fermentation on the Content of Alkylresorcinols and Lignans in Plant Products

“…Alkylresorcinols (ARs) are a group of phenolic lipids present in the outer layer of mainly whole grain rye and whole grain wheat (>500 μg/g) [6]. High concentrations of plasma ARs were associated with a lower incidence of distal colon cancer [8].…”