Supplemental Table 1 Basic information of studies entered the meta-analysis.
Reference / Country( continent of study) / Cases/controls or cohort size / Baseline information / Vitamins / Plasma/serum Vitamins / OR/ RR (95%CI) or mean ± SD / Adjustment factors
Case Control Studies-Hospital Based (26)
Abiaka C (2001) / Kuwait
(Asia) / 28/58 / Amiri and AdanHospitals;
Recruitment: no reported;
Age: unspecified;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer. / α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control
(meanSE) / 16.81.00 v.s. 17.70.9 / —
Aghvami T (2006) / Iran (Asia) / 50/50 / ImamKhomeiniHospital;
Recruitment: no reported;
Age: 30-68 years;
Menopause status: all;
Stage I, II and III breast cancer. / Vitamin C (mg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.760.47 v.s. 1.570.45 all
0.890.36 v.s. 0.830.26 pre
0.780.41 v.s. 0.990.34 post
Vitamin E (μg/ml) / breast cancer v.s. control / 12.283.06 v.s. 13.563.23 all
11.472.76 v.s. 12.192.05 pre
13.243.17 v.s. 15.983.53 post
Al-Saleh I (2002) / Saudi Arabia (Asia) / 108/134 / KingFaisalspecialiatHospital;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 22-81 years;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer. / α-tocopherol (μg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 2.823.06 v.s. 4.643.08
Badid N (2010) / Algeria
(Africa) / 38/50 / TelmcenHospital; private clinic for surgery;
Recruitment: 2006-2007;
Age: 35-45 years;
Overweight women;
Menopause status: pre;
Stage II and III breast cancer. / Vitamin A
(μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 14.582.37 v.s. 16.702.45 / —
Vitamin C (μmol/l) / 15.003.15 v.s. 38.586.43
Vitamin E
(μmol/l) / 13.731.38 v.s. 24.552.13
Basu TK (1989) / Canada (America) / 30/30 / National Cancer Institute;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: mean: 55.2 years;
Menopause status: all;
advanced breast cancer. / Vitamin A (μg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 68.05.3 v.s. 74.76.0 / —
Vitamin E (mg/dl) / 0.810.08 v.s. 0.910.08
Ching S (2002) / Australia (Australia) / 153/150 / SirCharlesGairdnerHospital;
Recruitment: 1992-1994;
Age: 30-84 years;
Menopause status: pre and post;
Stage T1, N0, N1 or N2 without metastasis breast cancer / Retinol (μmol/l) / ≥2.5 v.s. ≤1.9 / 0.53 (0.28, 1.01) / Age at menarche, parity, alcohol intake and total fat intake
Chitkara N (1996) / India (Asia) / 75/50 / Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 20-70 years;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer / Vitamin E (μg/ml) / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.700.15 v.s. 4.540.17
De Cavanagh EMV (2002) / Argentina (Europe) / 15/11 / The British and I. Iriarte
Hospital;
Recruitment: Unspecified;
Age: 41-55 years;
Menopause status: pre;
Stage IIIA, IIIB, and IV or with ductal breast cancer / α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 4.71.4 v.s. 20.82.2
Gerber M (1988) / Italy and France (Europe) / 210/209 Milan
96/105 Montpellier / The French case-control study;
Recruitment: 1982-1986;
Age: 25-65 years;
Menopause status: all;
Stage T1, N0, N1 or N2 without metastasis breast cancer / Vitamin E (mg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 12.03.13 v.s. 10.92.67 Milan
12.402.9 v.s. 11.42.7 Montpellier / —
Retinol (μg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 549127.2 v.s. 587133.8 Montpellier
Gerber M (1989) / France (Europe) / 120/109 / The French case-control study;
Recruitment: 1982-1986;
Age: 25-65 years;
Menopause status: pre and post
Stage T1, N0, N1 or N2 without metastasis breast cancer / Vitamin E (mg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 12.503.6 v.s. 10.31.9 pre
13.803.1 v.s. 21.32.6 post / —
Gerber M (1991) / France
(Europe) / 48/50 / The last cases and controls in French case-control study;
in Languedoc-Roussillon;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 25-65 years;
Menopause status: all;
Stage T1, N0, N1 or N2 without metastasis breast cancer. / Vitamin C
(mg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 7.823.89 v.s. 6.973.86 / —
Hou MF (1998) / Taiwan (Asia) / 106/40 / KaohsiungMedicalCollegeHospital in Taiwan;
Recruitment: 1995-1996;
Age: 30-70 years;
Menopause status: all;
All stage breast cancer / Vitamin A (μg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 140.5065.70 v.s. 144.0030.30
Ito Y (1999) / India (Asia) / 206/150 / Cancer Institute (W.I.A.);
Recruitment: 1992-1993;
Age: 22-80 years;
Menopause status: all; pre- and postmenopausal;
All stage breast cancer / Retinol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.660.54 v.s. 1.500.65 / —
α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / 16.755.29 v.s. 15.415.20
Kim MK (2001) / Korea
(Asia) / 160/229 / Asian Medical center;
Recruitment: 1994-1995;
Age: less than 80 years;
Menopause status: all
Unspecified breast cancer. / α-tocopherol (μg/ml) / breast cancer v.s. control / 7.630.42 v.s. 11.00.73 all
(meanSEM) / 6.950.47 v.s. 10.30.56 pre
≥13.50 v.s. <4.95 / 0.41 (0.18-0.93) / Age; BMI; smoking;
alcohol drinking;
8.900.81 v.s. 14.83.37 post
≥15.0 v.s. <5.00 / 0.13 (0.03-0.66)
Retinol (μg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 49.04.10 v.s. 64.61.95
48.06.11 v.s. 64.22.00
51.02.86 v.s. 66.56.13
≥0.20 v.s. <0.08 / 1.03 (0.32-3.33)
≥1.57 v.s. <0.89 / 0.14 (0.03-0.58)
Kim MK (2002) / Korea
(Asia) / 92/122 / Asian Medical center;
Recruitment: 1993-1994;
Age: less than 80 years;
Menopause status: all
Unspecified breast cancer. / α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 18.112.4 v.s. 27.218.1 / Age; BMI; weight; alcohol; smoking; menopausal status; age at 1st full-term pregnancy; serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; fruit and vegetable consumption
≥31.4 v.s. <17 / 0.32 (0.09-1.19)
Kim MK (2010) / Korea (Asia) / 376/304 / Asian Medical center;
Recruitment: 2006-2007;
Age: less than 80 years;
Menopause status: all;
All stage breast cancer. / Retinol (μg/dl) / 79.7-134 v.s. 23.8-49.1 / 0.145 (0.077-0.271) / Age; BMI; menopause; parity; oral contraceptive; smoking status; alcohol consumption status
α-tocopherol (μg/dl) / 1554-4063 v.s. 335-946 / 2.342 (1.345-4.078)
γ-tocopherol
(μg/dl) / 410-964 v.s. 46.3-213 / 1.908 (1.107-3.287)
London SJ (1992) / USA (America) / 377/403 / Five teaching hospitals in Boston;
Recruitment: 1986-1988;
Age: 58-69 years;
Menopause status: post;
Stage I or II breast cancer. / Retinol (μmol/l) / 2.7 v.s. 1.47 / 1.0 (0.6-1.7) / Age; alcohol intake; age at first birth; family history of breast cancer; age at menopause; age at menarche; body weight; prior history of BBD; serum lipid
α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / 48 v.s. 22 / 0.8 (0.5-1.2)
Marubini E (1988) / Italy (Europe) / 210/209 / National Tumor Institute of Milan;
Recruitment: 1982-1985;
Age: 30-65 years;
Menopause status: all
Stage I-II breast cancer / Retinol (μg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 556.78133.79 v.s. 530.06144.36 / Age; age at menarche; age at first birth; parity; age at menopause; Quetelet index; family history of breast cancer; education; cholesterol; triglyceride blood level
Fifth v.s. lowest / 2.0 (1.0-4.0)
Potischman N (1990) / USA (America) / 81/101 / Roswell Park Memorial Institute; Two private surgeons;
Recruitment: 1985-1986;
Age: 30-80 years;
Menopause status: all;
All stage breast cancer. / Retinol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.950.62 v.s. 1.930.44 / Age; age at first birth; family history; age at menarche; Quetelet index; parity; age at menopause; income; marital status; lipids include cholesterol and triglyceride;
Q4 v.s. Q1 / 0.94 (0.27-3.23)
Ramaswamy G (1996) / India (Asia) / 100/50 / Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bangalore;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 30-65 years;
Menopause status: all;
All stage breast cancer. / Vitamin A (μg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 38.1013.1 v.s. 39.812.2 stage I / —
30.6011.5 v.s. 39.812.2 stage II
26.4012.4 v.s. 39.812.2 stage III
26.1011.8 v.s. 39.812.2 stage IV
Vitamin C (mg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.000.3 v.s. 1.980.5 stage I
0.800.2 v.s. 1.980.5 stage II
0.400.1 v.s. 1.980.5 stage III
0.300.1v.s. 1.980.5 stage IV
Ray G (2001) / India (Africa) / 54/42 / Sucheta Kripalini Hospital;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 24-70 years;
Menopause status: all (pre- and post-)
Stage II, III and IV breast cancer / Vitamin A (μmol/l)
MeanSEM / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.940.06 v.s. 1.880.07 / —
Vitamin C (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 155.05.67 v.s. 186.39.08
Vitamin E (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 24.870.72 v.s. 28.30.05
Schrijver J (1987) / The Netherlands (Europe) / 11/16 / Recruitment: July-December 1982;
Age: 41-80 years;
Menopause status: post;
Advanced breast cancer. / Vitamin A (μmol/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.000.41 v.s. 1.790.38
α-tocopherol (nmol/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 23.86.8 v.s. 30.36.5
Shah FD (2009) / India (Asia) / 125/70 / GCRI;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 25-82 years;
Menopause status: all;
Stage II, III and IV breast cancer. / Vitamin A (mg/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.410.08 v.s. 0.530.04
Vitamin E (mg/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 12.61.03 v.s. 15.11.22
Vitamin C (mg/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.900.10 v.s. 3.540.36
Simon MS (2000) / USA (America) / 27/29 / A pilot case-control study;
Recruitment: July, 15, 1994- December, 1, 1994;
Age: mean: 59 years;
Menopause status: all;
Invasive breast cancer. / Retinol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 2.370.73 v.s. 1.980.49 African-American
2.160.61 v.s. 2.050.61 Caucasian / —
≤1.59 v.s. ≥2.60 / 0.87 (0.14, 5.72)
α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 31.2015.52 v.s. 23.477.66 African-American
34.9815.99 v.s. 38.7616.45 Caucasian
≤20.52 v.s. ≥35.00 / 0.76 (0.10, 5.75)
γ-tocopherol
(μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 5.742.54 v.s. 4.903.25 African-American
5.093.59 v.s. 3.763.99 Caucasian
≤2.12 v.s. ≥7.57 / 0.31 (0.04, 1.93)
Torun M (1995) / Turkey (Asia) / 100/70 / Unspecified Case-control;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: unspecified;
Menopause status: all (pre- and post-);
Unspecified breast cancer / Vitamin E (mg/100ml) / breast cancer v.s. control / 0.440.21 v.s. 1.1080.27 all / —
0.430.19 v.s. 1.110.24 pre
0.450.11 v.s. 1.110.31 post
Torun M (1995) / Turkey (Asia) / 25/156 / Unspecified Case-control;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: unspecified;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer / Vitamin C (mg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 0.500.43 v.s. 0.800.35 / —
Case-Control Studies-Population Based (2)
Suzana S (2008) / Malaysia
(Asia) / 57/139 / Klang Valley and Selangor, Malaysia;
Recruitment: unspecified;
Age: 30-66 y;
Menopause status: all;
Stage I-III breast cancer. / Vitamin E (mg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 3.33.9 v.s. 4.02.7 / No adjustment factors
2.8-3.18 v.s. <2.5 / 2.76 (1.43-5.33)
Vitamin A (μg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 377.6417 v.s. 431.5264.2
>564 v.s.<284.3 / 2.32 (1.18-4.57)
Zaroukian S (2005) / Canada
(America) / 223/85 / Four teaching hospitals of CHUM;
Recruitment: 1989-1993;
Age: 35-79 years;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer. / Retinol
(μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 1.860.87 v.s. 1.970.69 / Age; age at first full term pregnancy; history of cancer in first-degree relatives;
Q3 v.s. Q1 / 0.67 (0.35-1.28)
Tocopherol (μmol/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 18. 356.90 v.s. 18.595.77
Q3 v.s. Q1 / 0.85 (0.45-1.59)
Nested case-control studies (13)
Dorjgochoo T (2009) / China (Asia) / 365/726 / SWHS;
Recruitment: 1997–2000;
Age: 40-70 years;
Menopause status:
all (pre- and post-);
Unspecified breast cancer. / Retinol (mg/l) / ≥0.73 v.s. <0.52 / 1.17 (0.77-1.78) / Age at entry; education; occupation; age at menarche; age at 1st live birth; waist to hips ratio; exercised regularly in past 5 years; ever smoke; menopausal status; history of breast fibroadenoma; 1st degree family history cancer; total energy; vegetables; fruits; red meat and fish; regular tea consumption, batch for assays; other plasma lipophilic antioxidants
Total tocopherols (mg/l) / ≥13.22 v.s. <9.36 / 1.07 (0.67-1.71)
α-tocopherols (mg/l) / ≥10.32 v.s. <7.11 / 1.15 (0.72-1.85)
β/γ-tocopherols (mg/l) / 1.45-1.89 v.s. <1.45 / 1.01 (0.68-1.46)
Dorgan JF (1998) / USA (America) / 105/203 / US National Cancer Institute;
Recruitment: 1977-1987;
Age: median: 61.6 years;
Menopause status: all;
All stage breast cancer. / Retinol (μmol/l) / 2.31-3.32 v.s. <1.67 / 0.9 (0.4-2.0) / Age; BMI; benign breast disease diagnosis during prior 2 years; month and year of blood collection; total serum cholesterol concentration, packs of cigarettes smoked/day.
α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / 31.33-107.69 v.s. <21.59 / 1.2 (0.5-2.8)
Epplein M (2009) / USA
(mixed) / 286/535 / Multiethnic Cohort study;
Recruitment: 2001–2006;
Age: 45-75 years;
Menopause status: post;
Unspecified breast cancer. / Retinol (ng/ml) / ≥1188.0 v.s. ≤842.6 / 1.13 (0.73-1.76) / BMI; alcohol use; age at menarche; age at menopause; age at first birth; number of full-term pregancies; age at blood draw
Total-tocopherols (ng/ml) / ≥23282.4 v.s. ≤14413.3 / 0.86 (0.56-1.31)
α-tocopherols (ng/ml) / ≥21829.9 v.s. ≤11828.1 / 0.80 (0.52-1.24)
β/γ-tocopherols (ng/ml) / ≥2175.3 v.s. ≤619.0 / 1.40 (0.86-2.27)
Hulten K (2001) / Sweden (Europe) / 201/390 / Recruitment: VIP, MONICA, MSP;
Age: VIP+MONICA median: 52 years, MSP median: 59 years;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer. / Retinol (μmol/l) / Forth v.s. lowest / 1.0 (0.6-1.8) / BMI; plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides
α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / Forth v.s. lowest / 1.3 (0.6-2.7)
Kabat GC (2009) / USA (America) / 190/5260 / Women’s Health Initiative clinical trials (WHI);
Recruitment: 1993-1998;
Age: 50-79 years;
Menopause status: post;
In situ and invasive breast cancer. / Retinol (μg/ml) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 0.610.15 v.s. 0.600.16 / Age; education; ethnicity; BMI; oral contraceptive use; hormone therapy; age at menarche; age at first birth; age menopause; alcohol; family history of breast cancer; history of breast biopsy; physical activity; energy intake; randomization status in hormone therapy; calcium plus vitamin D; and dietary modification trials.
≥0.65 v.s. <0.53 / 1.00 (0.68-1.48)
α-tocopherol
(μg/ml) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 16.797.38 v.s. 16.607.72
≥17.23 v.s. <12.36 / 0.92 (0.62-1.36)
γ-tocopherol
(μg/ml) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 2.161.28 v.s. 2.111.43
≥2.55 v.s. <1.30 / 1.26 (0.85-1.88)
Knekt P (1988) / Finland (Europe) / 67/123 / Social Insurance Institution’s
Mobile Clinic Health
Examination Survey;
Recruitment: 1968-1972;
Age: 15-99 years;
Menopause status: all;
unspecified breast cancer. / Vitamin E (mg/l) / >12.51 v.s. ≤7.90 / 0.88 (0.32-2.39) / Smoking and cholesterol
Knekt P (1990) / Finland (Europe) / 52/93 / Social Insurance Institution’s
Mobile Clinic Health
Examination Survey;
Recruitment: 1968-1977;
Age: 15-99 years;
Menopause status: all;
unspecified breast cancer. / Retinol (μg /l) / >710.0 v.s. ≤490.0 / 1.20 (0.50-2.70) / No adjustment
Maillard V (2010) / French (European) / 366/720 / E3N-EPIC study;
Recruitment: 1989-1991;
Age: 40-65 years;
Menopause status: all
Invasive breast cancer / Retinol
(μmol/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.870.4 v.s. 1.890.4 / Alcohol; Height;
Education level;
menopausal hormone use; age at first birth and parity;
family history of breast cancer; history of benign breast disease.
The fifth v.s. lowest / 0.85 (0.53-1.35)
α-tocopherol
(μmol/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.870.4 v.s. 1.890.4
The fifth v.s. lowest / 0.70 (0.44-1.13)
γ-tocopherol
(μmol/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.870.4 v.s. 1.890.4
The fifth v.s. lowest / 0.94 (0.59-1.48)
total-tocopherol (μmol/l) / Breast cancer v.s. control / 1.870.4 v.s. 1.890.4
The fifth v.s. lowest / 0.68 (0.41-1.10)
Russell MJ (1988) / England
(Europe) / 30/288 / Volunteer women in Guernsey;
Recruitment: 1977-1985;
Age: 26-88 years;
Menopause status: all;
Unspecified breast cancer. / Vitamin A
(μg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 549128 v.s. 533131 / —
Vitamin E
(mg/l) / breast cancer v.s. control / 6.52.4 v.s. 6.22.1
Sato R (2002) / USA (America) / 244/244 (1974 cohort)
115/115 (1989 cohort) / Washington County;
Recruitment: 1974 and 1989 cohort;
Age: 43-70 years;
Menopause status: all;
In situ and invasive breast cancer. / Retinol (μg/dl)
1974 cohort
1989 cohort / ≥73.0 v.s. <46.2 / 0.97 (0.53-1.80)
≥73.8 v.s. <50.4 / 1.03 (0.40-2.64)
α-tocopherol (mg/dl)
1974 cohort / ≥1.40 v.s. <0.91 / 0.94 (0.52-1.73)
1989 cohort / ≥1.65 v.s. <0.99 / 0.67 (0.28-1.62)
γ-tocopherol (mg/dl)
1974 cohort
1989 cohort / ≥0.32 v.s. <0.15 / 0.70 (0.40-1.23)
≥0.34 v.s. <0.13 / 0.80 (0.33-1.93)
Tamimi RM (2005) / USA (America) / 969/969 / Nurses’ Health Study;
Recruitment: 1989–1990;
Age: 43-70 years;
Menopause status: all;
In situ and invasive breast cancer. / α-tocopherol (μmol/l) / 46.94 v.s. 16.42 / 0.79 (0.57-1.08) / Age; menopause postmenopausal hormone use;month; time of day; fasting at blood collection; age at menopause; BMI at 18; weight gain since 18y; age at menarche; history of benign breast disease; history of breast cancer in a mother or sister; age at first birth/parity; alcohol consumption
γ-tocopherol (μmol/l) / 7.72 v.s. 1.90 / 0.96 (0.71-1.30)
Toniolo P (2001) / USA / 270/270 / Women’s Health Study;
Recruitment: 1985-1994;
Age: 35-65 years;
Menopause status: all;
All stage breast cancer. / Retinol (μg/dl) / breast cancer v.s. control / 56.913.5 v.s. 56.013.8 / Age at first full-term pregnancy; family history of breast cancer; history of benign breast disease and total cholesterol
Low v.s. high / 0.78 (0.45-1.35)
“—”: T test, no adjustment reported.