Commentary on Gaziano JM, Sesso HD, Christen WG, et al. Multivitamins in the prevention of cancer in men: the Physicians’ Health Study II randomised controlled trial. JAMA 2012;308:1871–80.OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

Context

Various vitamins and minerals have been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis or reduce cancer risk in preclinical experiments and observational studies. Such work has given rise to several chemoprevention trials of isolated nutrients, many of which (eg, Alpha-Tocopherol and Beta-Carotene (ATBC) Trial, Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) and Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT)) have produced disappointing findings.1 Multivitamin supplements, however, may yield greater benefit and less risk, since the nutrient profile more closely approximates a healthy, balanced diet. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) of multivitamin supplements is significant since over one-third of US adults regularly take these preparations.2