High prediagnostic dietary intake of vitamin B2 and vitamin B6 is associated with favorable prognosis of colorectal cancer among Chinese colorectal cancer patients

Abstract

The potential impact of one-carbon metabolism (OCM)-related B vitamins (vitamin B₂, B₆, B₁₂, and folate) on colorectal cancer survival warrants investigation but research is sparse. This cohort study examined the association between the prediagnostic dietary intakes of OCM-related B vitamins and colorectal cancer survival. A total of 2799 colorectal cancer patients from the Guangdong Colorectal Cancer Cohort, enrolled at baseline in 2010, were followed for mortality outcomes through 2023. Dietary data were collected from patients using a food frequency questionnaire for the year prior to their diagnosis. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to examine the association between OCM-related B vitamins and colorectal cancer survival. Restricted cubic spline analyses and stratified analysis were performed. During the follow-up period of approximately 60.33 months, 639 deaths were documented, of which 574 were colorectal cancer-specific deaths. Dietary vitamin B₂ and B₆ intake was significantly associated with survivals. The adjusted HRs in the highest versus the lowest quartile of vitamin B₂ intake were 0.77 (0.62-0.97) for overall survival and 0.71 (0.55-0.90) for colorectal cancer-specific survival, and vitamin B₆ intake were 0.79 (0.64-0.99) for overall survival and 0.75 (0.59-0.94) for colorectal cancer-specific survival. Nonlinear associations were observed between vitamin B₆ intake and both overall survival and colorectal cancer-specific survival. However, no significant association was found between vitamin B₁₂ or folate intake and survivals. These results suggest that high prediagnostic intake of vitamin B₂ and B₆ may be associated with improved survivals in colorectal cancer patients.