Serum albumin and colorectal cancer risk

Objective: To study the relationship between serum albumin and colorectal cancer occurrence. Design: A case-control study nested within a cohort followed from 1968 to 1991. Subjects and methods: The albumin concentration was determined from serum samples stored at -20 degrees C at baseline in 177 incident colorectal cancer cases and 288 controls matched for sex, age and study region. Results: An elevated risk was present of cancer of the left, distal colon at high serum albumin concentrations. No significant association was observed for the right, proximal colon or the rectum. The relative risks of cancer of the distal and proximal colon among individuals in the highest and lowest quartiles of serum albumin were 17.03 (95% confidence interval 1.48-195) and 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0.19-3.13), respectively. Conclusions: The present study lends support to the hypothesis that some dietary factor associated with serum albumin may be a risk factor for distal colon cancer. Sponsorship: This study was supported by a grant from the Swedish Cancer Foundation. Descriptors: albumin; antioxidant; cohort studies, colon; neoplasms; rectum.