Calcium, vitamin D, and risk for colorectal adenoma: dependency on vitamin D receptor BsmI polymorphism and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use?

Previous epidemiological studies have been inconclusive in demonstrating an inverse association among calcium, vitamin D, and risk for colorectal adenoma. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the associations among calcium and vitamin D and risk for incident, sporadic colorectal adenoma according to the vitamin D receptor BsmI polymorphism and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use. We analyzed data from a colonoscopy-based case-control study (n = 177 cases, 228 controls) conducted in North Carolina between 1995 and 1997. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) comparing participants in the highest to those in the lowest tertiles of total calcium and vitamin D intakes were 0.64 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.35-1.15], P(trend) = 0.14 and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.41-1.18), and P(trend) = 0.19, respectively. Adjusted ORs for those in the upper tertile of total calcium intake relative to those in the lower were 0.25 (95% CI, 0.08-0.80) among those who had a Bb genotype, 0.57 (95% CI, 0.18-1.82) among those who had a bb genotype, and 0.36 (95% CI, 0.15-0.85) among those who did not take NSAIDs. The ORs for the highest tertile of calcium intake was 0.05 (95% CI, 0.01-0.41), P(trend) < 0.01 among those who were Bb and did not take NSAIDs, and 0.16 (95% CI, 0.02-1.36), P(trend) = 0.47 among those who were bb and did not take NSAIDs. These data support the hypotheses that higher calcium intakes may decrease risk for colorectal neoplasms, and that such a relationship is more readily detectable among those who do not take NSAIDs, and may be strongest among those who have at least one vitamin D receptor BsmI b allele.