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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. 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. 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). Specific dietary components may play a role in the development of UADT cancers in the high-risk region of central and eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]