Serum uric acid levels and cancer mortality risk among males in a large general population-based cohort study

Abstract

PurposeSerum uric acid (SUA) has antioxidant capacities and therefore may protect against the development of cancer. Few epidemiological studies have tested this hypothesis, and findings were inconsistent.MethodsWe studied the association between SUA levels and mortality due to any type of cancer, and three common types of cancer among males (lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer) in the general population-based Vlagtwedde–Vlaardingen cohort with 38 years of follow-up and 8 surveys (total number of males = 4,350). Of 1,823 males with data available on SUA, 254 (13.9 %) died due to any cancer (lung n = 75 (4.1 %), colorectal n = 27 (1.5 %), and prostate cancer n = 23 (1.3 %), assessed on 31 December 2008). SUA, cholesterol, and triglyceride were measured in males during the surveys in 1970, 1972, and 1973. We analyzed the association between cancer mortality risk and SUA level both as continuous variable and as tertiles: lowest <5 mg/dl (reference), middle 5–5.8 mg/dl, and highest >5.8 mg/dl, using multivariate Cox regression with adjustment for age, smoking (pack years), and body mass index.ResultsHigher levels of SUA were associated with a lower risk of mortality from any cancer [HR (95 % CI) = 0.85 (0.73–0.97)]. SUA levels in the highest tertile (>5.8 mg/dl) were associated with a lower risk of mortality from any cancer [0.68 (0.48–0.97)]. Additional adjustment for serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels did not change the results.ConclusionsOur study indicates that elevated SUA levels may protect against cancer mortality.

Association of serum uric acid with increased risk of cancer among hypertensive Chinese

“…Our results are in accordance with most large, prospective cohort studies although one cohort study conducted by Taghizadeh et al 15 demonstrated that higher levels of SUA were related to a lower risk of cancer mortality, supporting a protective role of SUA in the risk of cancer mortality. Kolonel et al 16 found elevated baseline SUA levels were not associated with the risk of overall cancer and most subtypes of cancer, but were only positively associated with the risk of developing prostate cancer in Japanese men [adjusted RR: 1.5, (95% CI: 1.1-2.1)].…”

“…Our results are in accordance with most large, prospective cohort studies although one cohort study conducted by Taghizadeh et al . demonstrated that higher levels of SUA were related to a lower risk of cancer mortality, supporting a protective role of SUA in the risk of cancer mortality.…”

Xanthine oxidoreductase in cancer: more than a differentiation marker

“…Conclusions similar to those above reported were suggested by the positive clinical outcome, which was associated with elevated uric acid serum levels . The protection against cancer mortality given by elevated serum uric acid levels was demonstrated by a large general population‐based cohort study with 4350 patients who died because of cancer, in particular, cancer localized to the lung, colorectal intestine, and prostate .…”

High Serum Uric Acid Levels Are Associated with All‐Cause and Cardiovascular, but Not Cancer, Mortality in Elderly Adults

“…Growing evidence suggests that hyperuricemia is associated with cancer mortality, 10,14 although the observational data are inconsistent. 13 Hyperuricemia, resulting from high nucleic acid turnover in the rapidly proliferating tumor burden 35 or indicating tumor lysis syndrome, 36 is often observed in individuals with cancer. A significantly positive correlation was previously reported between hyperuricemia and death from cancer.…”