Daily intake of 1 gr dietary calcium may have moderate protective effect on development of colorectal adenomatous polyps

Weingarten MAMA, Zalmanovici Trestioreanu A, Yaphe J

Published Online:

September 8, 2010

There have been suggestions, based on observational studies and on laboratory markers, that dietary calcium may protect against colorectal cancer. This systematic review of the literature identified two well conducted randomised placebo-controlled intervention studies involving 1346 subjects followed for 3-4 years. The results suggest that there may be a moderate protective effect (OR 0.74; CI 0.58,0.95) for dietary supplementation of at least 1200mg elemental calcium per day on the development of colorectal adenomatous polyps. However, no trial has directly demonstrated an effect of calcium supplementation on the development of colorectal cancer itself.

Abstract (click to read)

Background:

Several dietary factors have been considered to be involved in the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer in industrialised countries. Experimental and epidemiological evidence has been suggestive but not conclusive for a protective role for high dietary calcium intake. Intervention studies with colorectal cancer as an endpoint are difficult to perform owing to the large number of patients and the long follow-up required; studies using the appearance of colorectal adenomatous polyps as a surrogate endpoint are therefore considered in reviewing the existing evidence.

Objectives:

This systematic review aims to assess the effect of supplementary dietary calcium on the incidence of colorectal cancer and the incidence or recurrence of adenomatous polyps.

Search strategy:

We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, the Cochrane Colorectal Cancer Group specialised register, MEDLINE, Cancerlit , and Embase, to December 2009. The reference lists of identified studies were inspected for further studies, and the review literature was scrutinized.

Selection criteria:

Randomised controlled trials of the effects of dietary calcium on the development of colonic cancer and adenomatous polyps in humans are reviewed. Studies of healthy adults and studies of adults at higher risk of colon cancer due to family history, previous adenomatous polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease were considered; data from subjects with familial polyposis coli are excluded. The primary outcomes were the occurrence of colon cancer, and occurrence or recurrence of any new adenomas of the colon. Secondary outcomes were any adverse event that required discontinuation of calcium supplementation, and drop-outs before the end of the study.

Data collection and analysis:

Two reviewers independently extracted data, assessed trial quality and resolved discrepancies by consensus. The outcomes were reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The data were combined with the fixed effects model.

Main results:

Two studies with 1346 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Both trials were well designed, double - blind, placebo controlled trials, included participants with previous adenomas. The doses of supplementary elemental calcium used were 1200 mg daily for a mean duration of 4 years, and 2000 mg/day for three years.The rates of loss to follow -up were 14 % and 11%.
For the development of recurrent colorectal adenoma, a reduction was found (OR 0.74, CI 0.58,0.95) when the results from both trials were combined.

Authors' conclusions:

Although the evidence from two RCTs suggests that calcium supplementation might contribute to a moderate degree to the prevention of colorectal adenomatous polyps, this does not constitute sufficient evidence to recommend the general use of calcium supplements to prevent colorectal cancer.

This record should be cited as:

Weingarten MAMA, Zalmanovici Trestioreanu A, Yaphe J. Dietary calcium supplementation for preventing colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD003548. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003548.pub4

Assessed as up to date:

January 21, 2010

Health topics:

Cancer > Colorectal > Prevention

Complementary & alternative medicine > Cancer > Colorectal

Complementary & alternative medicine > Gastroenterology > Cancer

Gastroenterology > Cancer: colorectal > Prevention

Cochrane Summaries

Independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making

Daily intake of 1 gr dietary calcium may have moderate protective effect on development of colorectal adenomatous polyps

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