By David Liu, PHD

Saturday Nov 17, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Dietary antioxidant nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C either from diet or supplements may help prevent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), according to a new study in Nutrition and Cancer.

Geoffrey C. Kabata and colleagues analysed data from 1104 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma identified among 154,363 postmenopausal women during a 11-year follow up in the Women's Health Initiative and found intakes of vitamin A and vitamin C were inversely associated with risks of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and diffuse lymphoma, respectively.

The authors said in their report "Incidence rates of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) increased substantially in the United States and worldwide during the latter part of the 20th century, but little is known about the etiology of this condition."

They reasoned that antioxidant nutrients can quench free radicals which can otherwise cause carcinogenesis  by damaging DNA and lipid membranes.  Because of this, they conducted this study to see how antioxidants like vitamin A and vitamin C could potentially affect the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and diffuse lymphoma.

Of all nutrients considered in the study, only vitamin A intake from diet and dietary supplements combined was found inversely correlated with overall risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Those in the highest quartile of vitamin A intake were 17% less likely to develop this cancer, compared to those in the lowest quartile.

Similarly, vitamin C intake was also found inversely associated with the risk of  diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Those in the highest quartile were 31% less likely to develop this disease, compared to those in the lowest quartile.

The researchers concluded "Overall, this study provides some evidence of inverse associations of intake of total vitamin A and total vitamin C with the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and diffuse lymphoma, respectively."