Epidemiology Dietary risk factors for upper aerodigestive tract cancers Christine M. Kasum 1, David R. Jacobs Jr. 1 2 *[], Kristin Nicodemus 3, Aaron R. Folsom 1 1Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA 2Institute for Nutrition Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway 3Center for Human Genetics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA email: David R. Jacobs (Jacobs@epi.umn.edu) *Correspondence to David R. Jacobs Jr., Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA []Fax: +612-624-0315 Abstract We examined the association between whole-grain intake and incident upper aerodigestive tract cancer in a cohort of 34,651 postmenopausal, initially cancer-free women. We also studied established risk factors for upper aerodigestive cancers, including fruit and vegetable intake, smoking and alcohol intake. A mailed questionnaire at baseline in 1986 included a food-frequency questionnaire and assessment of other cancer risk factors. During the 14-year follow-up period, 169 women developed cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract. For all upper aerodigestive cancers together, significant inverse associations were observed for the highest compared to the lowest tertile of whole grains [relative risk (RR) = 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34-0.81] and yellow/orange vegetables (RR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.39-0.87). In addition, those in the highest compared to lowest tertile of fiber intake from whole grain were less likely to develop upper aerodigestive tract cancer (RR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.84); fiber intake from refined grain was not significantly associated with upper aerodigestive tract cancer. Findings were generally similar for oropharyngeal (n = 53), laryngeal (n = 21), nasopharyngeal/salivary (n = 18), esophageal (n = 21) and gastric (n = 56) cancers, though numbers of cases were too small for statistical testing within individual cancers. These findings confirm previous observations that high intake of fruits and vegetables and that intake of whole grains and the fiber derived from them may reduce risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancers. International Journal of Cancer Volume 99, Issue 2, 2002. Pages: 267-272 © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Br J Cancer, 11/02 Br J Cancer, 3/03 Nutr Cancer, 2002 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.