科学界一直在探寻日常饮食与癌症的关联。一项最新研究就显示，常吃富含天然抗氧化剂硒和维生素C、E的食物，或许有助于降低人们患胰腺癌的风险。
英国东英吉利大学等机构研究人员在新一期《内脏》（Gut）杂志上发表报告说，他们对2万多人进行了跟踪研究，期间这些受调查者需要汇报他们的日常食物种类、分量以及采用何种烹饪方式等。
分析显示，那些通过食物摄入硒等抗氧化剂物质最多的受调查者，与摄入这类营养物质最少的那部分人相比，患胰腺癌的风险要低67％。这类营养物质常存在于谷类、坚果、水果和蔬菜等食物中。
但研究人员也指出，目前这项研究还只揭示了一种联系，尚未完全证明其中的因果关系。但据估算，一旦证明胰腺癌风险的降低是由日常摄入食物的不同所导致，那么通过改变饮食习惯，每12个胰腺癌病例中就有一个是可以避免的。
领导这次研究的安德鲁·哈特认为，上述抗氧化剂起作用的机制可能包括：对吸烟等不良习惯导致的致癌物起到中和作用，或是能促进人体本身的免疫系统发挥抗癌作用。(生物谷Bioon.com）
DOI：10.1136/gutjnl-2011-301908
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Dietary antioxidants and the aetiology of pancreatic cancer： a cohort study using data from food diaries and biomarkers
Objective To investigate whether the dietary antioxidants vitamins C and E， selenium and zinc decrease the risk of developing pancreatic cancer， for the first time using 7-day food diaries， the most accurate dietary methodology in prospective work. Design 23？658 participants， aged 40–74？years， recruited into the EPIC-Norfolk Study completed 7-day food diaries which recorded foods， brands and portion sizes. Nutrient intakes were calculated in those later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in 3970 controls， using a computer program with information on 11？000 foods. Vitamin C was measured in serum samples. The HRs of developing pancreatic cancer were estimated across quartiles of intake and thresholds of the lowest quartile (Q1) against a summation of the three highest (Q2–4). Results Within 10years， 49 participants (55% men)， developed pancreatic cancer. Those eating a combination of the highest three quartiles of all of vitamins C and E and selenium had a decreased risk (HR=0.33， 95% CI 0.13 to 0.84， p<0.05). There were threshold effects (Q2–4 vs Q1) for selenium (HR=0.49， 95% CI 0.26 to 0.93， p<0.05) and vitamin E (HR=0.57， 95% CI 0.29 to 1.09， p<0.10). The HRs of quartiles for antioxidants， apart from zinc， were <1， but not statistically significant. For vitamin C， there was an inverse association with serum measurements (HR trend=0.67， 95% CI 0.49 to 0.91， p=0.01)， but the threshold effect from diaries was not significant (HR=0.68， 95% CI 0.37 to 1.26). Conclusion The results support measuring antioxidants in studies investigating the aetiology of pancreatic cancer. If the association is causal， 1 in 12 cancers might be prevented by avoiding the lowest intakes.
