Lack of Association between Serum Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1 and Cancer Mortality Risk in a Nested Case-control Study in Japan

We examined the potential role of serum TGF-beta 1 levels to predict cancer mortality risk in a nested casecontrolstudy within a large prospective cohort of middle-aged and elderly Japanese subjects. The cases were893 persons who provided blood samples at baseline and subsequently died of cancer from all sites during thefollow-up period. A total of 2,824 subjects were selected from the main study as controls, matched with the casesfor sex, age and study area. Serum TGF-beta 1 levels were measured using a quantitative sandwich enzymeimmunoassay. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each quartile were calculated using a conditionallogistic regression model. Mean serum TGF-beta 1 levels were approximately 36 ng/ml in both cases and controls,with no significant difference . Overall, serum TGF- beta 1 levels were not associated with total cancer mortalityafter adjustment for potential confounding factors like age, body mass index or cigarette smoking. Serum TGFbeta1 levels may thus not be associated with cancer mortality risk in apparently health individuals.