BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- High intakes of vitamin A apparently reduce the risk of developing gastric cancer, Swedish researchers report.

    Vitamin A comes pre-formed, as retinol in foods of animal origin, or in precursor form, as carotenoids in fruits and vegetables, Dr Susanna C. Larsson, of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and colleagues explain in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

    Vitamin A may influence the development of stomach cancer through its role in controlling cell proliferation, the researchers write. Results from epidemiologic studies of vitamin A, retinol in relation to gastric cancer risk have been inconsistent.

    The researchers examined the records of 82,000 Swedish adults who had completed a food-frequency questionnaire in 1997 and were followed through June 2005.

    The average follow-up was seven years. During that time, 139 cases of gastric cancer were diagnosed.

    Compared with the lowest intakes, the highest consumption of the vitamin A compounds was associated with about a 50 percent reduction in the risk of gastric cancer.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)