Dietary intake of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and gastric cancer risk: a pooled analysis within the StoP Project
The effect of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) intake on gastric cancer is unclear. We investigated this association within the Stomach Cancer Pooling Project. Data from eight case-control studies within an international consortium were harmonized. Study-specific quartiles of dietary B12 intake (μg/day) were created using food frequency questionnaires and country-specific dietary composition tables. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between B12 and gastric cancer were calculated using multivariable logistic regressions adjusted by major sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. A random-effect meta-analysis pooling study-specific associations was also conducted. Secondary analyses were further adjusted for Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and dietary factors. Analyses stratified by anatomical subsite, histological type, sex, age, smoking, alcohol, and socioeconomic status (SES) were performed. The main analysis included 2228 cases and 7096 controls. A borderline positive association was observed between vitamin B12 intake and gastric cancer (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.99-1.10 per quartile of intake). Results only slightly attenuated after adjusting for Hp and dietary factors. No statistical heterogeneity was found by histology and anatomical subsite, despite a higher risk being observed for the intestinal subtype (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.02-1.19 per quartile of intake). Women, the elderly, never smokers, no-to-low alcohol consumers, and individuals from high SES had an increased risk of gastric cancer with increasing B12 intake, with no significant heterogeneity. Overall, dietary vitamin B12 intake was not associated with gastric cancer risk, while a positive association was observed for intestinal-type gastric cancer and within specific population subgroups.
Authors
- Maria Constanza Camargo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1065-2198)
- Giulia Collatuzzo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2309-7365)
- Monica Ferraroni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4542-4996)
- Rossella Bonzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2155-6126)
- Monireh Sadat Seyyedsalehi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9063-9128)
- Samantha Morais (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5808-0179)
- Malaquı́as López-Cervantes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9936-8427)
- Michele Sassano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3158-1827)
- Jesús Vioqué (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2284-148X)
- María Rubín‐García (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0916-4215)
- Shoichiro Tsugane (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4105-2774)
- Sandra González‐Palacios (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3358-472X)
- Francesca Bravi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0173-5319)
- Antonia Trichopoulou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7204-6396)
- Claudio Pelucchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1425-8945)
- Lizbeth López‐Carrillo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3245-8337)
- Gemma Castaño‐Vinyals (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4468-1816)
- Nuno Lunet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1870-1430)
- Akihisa Hidaka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1772-8159)
- Claudia Santucci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9845-5307)
- María Paula Curado (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8172-2483)
- Mary H. Ward (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7584-8856)
- Paolo Boffetta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3811-2791)
- Carlo La Vecchia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1441-897X)
- Raúl Ulises Hernández‐Ramírez
- Eva Negri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9712-8526)
Institutions
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
- Universitat de Miguel Hernández d'Elx (ES)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
- Universidade do Porto (PT)
- University of Milan (IT)
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico (IT)
- AC Camargo Hospital (BR)
- Yale University (US)
- Hellenic Health Foundation (GR)
- Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (MX)
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ES)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (ES)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL) (ES)
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (US)
- Institute of Public Health, University of Porto (PT)
- National Cancer Center Institute for Cancer Control (JP)
- Stony Brook University (US)
- International University of Health and Welfare (JP)
- Universidad de León (ES)
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
- University of Bologna (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- European Journal of Cancer Prevention
- Published
- 2026-10-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1097/cej.0000000000001044
- Primary Topic
- Folate and B Vitamins Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00