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Dietary risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract in central and eastern Europe

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Abstract

Objective

The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of upper aerodigestive tract (UADT: oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus) has been increasing in central and eastern European countries. We investigated the relationship between diet and UADT cancers in these high risk areas.

Methods

We used data from hospital-based case–control study of 948 UADT cancer cases and 1,228 controls conducted in Romania, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, and Czech Republic. Standardized questionnaire were used to collect information on 23 different food items, along with alcohol and tobacco consumptions. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the UADT cancers after adjusting for center, age, sex, tobacco & alcohol intake, and other food groups.

Results

Consumption of dairy product was negatively associated with selected UADT cancers: larynx (OR: 0.38, CI: 0.23–0.62) and esophagus (OR: 0.55, CI: 0.33–0.93). While consumption of yellow/orange vegetables were inversely associated with oral/pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer (OR: 0.53, CI: 0.35–0.81 and OR: 0.62, CI: 0.38–1.00, respectively), preserved vegetable was positively associated with oral/pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer risk (p trend < 0.01 for both).

Conclusion

Specific dietary components may play a role in the development of UADT cancers in the high-risk region of central and eastern Europe.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the World Cancer Research Fund and the European Commission’s INCO-COPERNICUS Program (Contract No. IC15-CT98–0332). The analysis reported in this article was undertaken during the tenures of Special Training Fellowships from IARC awarded to Dr. Amir Sapkota and Dr. Charles C. Hsu.

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Correspondence to M. Hashibe.

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Sapkota, A., Hsu, C.C., Zaridze, D. et al. Dietary risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract in central and eastern Europe. Cancer Causes Control 19, 1161–1170 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9183-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9183-0

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