Diet and risk of cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract - I. Foods

In order to examine the risks of cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract associated with food groups, a case-control study was conducted in Uruguay in the period January 1996-December 1997. All patients afflicted with cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus, were included in the study. Cases were frequency-matched with hospitalized patients on age, sex, residence, and urban/rural status. A strong association with red meat intake was observed (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.8), whereas vegetables, fruits and legumes were associated with an inverse association (OR for fruits 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.6). Salted meat, a possible source of nitrosamines, was associated with an increased risk of 60% for esophageal cancer. Possible mechanisms for these findings are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.