Serum dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and the subsequent risk of developing colon cancer

This purpose of this study was to evaluate whether serum dehydroepiandroste rone (DHEA) and its sulfate conjugate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA S), are associated with the likelihood of developing colon cancer. A nested case-control study was conducted using the serum bank and cancer registry in Washington County, Maryland. From a population of 20,305 county resident s who donated blood in 1974, incident cases of colon cancer that occurred f rom 1975 to 1991 (n = 117) were matched to one cancer-free control by age, race, and sex. Serum specimens that were stored at -70 degrees C since 1974 were assayed for DHEA and DHEAS. Compared with the controls, the mean seru m concentrations of cases were 3% lower for DHEA (P = 0.90) and 13% lower f or DHEAS (P = 0.60), When DHEA levels were analyzed according to fourths, n o noteworthy associations were observed. Compared with the lowest fourth, t he highest fourth of serum DHEAS was nonsignificantly associated with a hal ving in the risk of colon cancer (odds ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence limits, 0.18, 1.37; P-trend = 0.22), and further analyses showed the potential prot ective association was confined largely to males (highest-versus-lowest fou rth odds ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence limits, 0.06, 1.16; P-trend = 0.06). T his prospective study does not provide strong evidence that circulating DHE A and DHEAS concentrations are associated with the risk of colon cancer. Am ong men, DHEAS was associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer, but th e association was within the bounds of chance. Further studies are needed t o either support or refute the potentially promising lead hinted at by the results for DHEAS.