β-Carotene Supplementation and Lung Cancer Incidence in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study: The Role of Tar and Nicotine

Frequent use of beta-carotene supplements may accelerate the development of lung cancer in male smokers.

This research work studied the hypothesis that habitual intake of beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. A total of 29,113 male smokers aged 50-69 years living in Finland enrolled in this study. The frequency of consumption of beta-carotene supplements and relative risk of lung cancer in all the participants were determined. 

Researchers found out that regular use of beta-carotene supplements raised the risk of lung cancer in male smokers irrespective of the tar or nicotine content of the cigarette smoked. The results of this study show that supplementation with beta-carotene may hasten the onset of lung cancer in male smokers.