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Background:Evidence for the possible effect of vitamin E on head and neck cancers (HNCs) is limited.Methods:We used individual-level pooled data from 10 case-control studies (5959 cases and 12 248 controls) participating in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium to assess the association between vitamin E intake from natural sources and cancer of the oral cavity/pharynx and larynx. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression models applied to quintile categories of nonalcohol energy-adjusted vitamin E intake.Results:Intake of vitamin E was inversely related to oral/pharyngeal cancer (OR for the fifth vs the first quintile category=0.59, 95% CI: 0.49-0.71; P for trend <0.001) and to laryngeal cancer (OR=0.67, 95% CI: 0.54-0.83, P for trend <0.001). There was, however, appreciable heterogeneity of the estimated effect across studies for oral/pharyngeal cancer. Inverse associations were generally observed for the anatomical subsites of oral and pharyngeal cancer and within covariate strata for both sites.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that greater vitamin E intake from foods may lower HNC risk, although we were not able to explain the heterogeneity observed across studies or rule out certain sources of bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:To our knowledge, no study assessed the association between dietary patterns and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in low-incidence areas.Methods:We examined this association in a hospital-based case-control study carried out in Italy between 1992 and 2008, including 198 incident NPC cases and 594 controls. A posteriori dietary patterns were identified through principal component factor analysis performed on 28 nutrients and minerals derived from a 78-item food-frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional multiple logistic regression models on tertiles of factor scores.Results:We identified five dietary patterns named Animal products, Starch-rich, Vitamins and fibre, Animal unsaturated fatty acids (AUFAs), and Vegetable unsaturated fatty acids (VUFAs). The Animal product (OR=2.62, 95% CI=1.67-4.13, for the highest vs lowest score tertile), Starch-rich (OR=2.05, 95% CI=1.27-3.33), and VUFA (OR=1.90, 95% CI=1.22-2.96) patterns were positively associated with NPC. The AUFA pattern showed a positive association of borderline significance, whereas the Vitamins and fibre pattern was nonsignificantly but inversely associated with NPC.Conclusions:These findings suggest that diets rich in animal products, starch, and fats are positively related to NPC risk in this low-incidence country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Because of their antioxidant and antimutagenic properties, flavonoids may reduce cancer risk. Some flavonoids have antiestrogenic effects that can inhibit the growth and proliferation of endometrial cancer cells.Methods:In order to examine the relation between dietary flavonoids and endometrial cancer, we analysed data from an Italian case-control study including 454 incident, histologically confirmed endometrial cancers and 908 hospital-based controls. Information was collected through a validated food-frequency questionnaire. We applied data on food and beverage composition to estimate the intake of flavanols, flavanones, flavonols, anthocyanidins, flavones, isoflavones, and proanthocyanidins. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated from multiple logistic regression models conditioned on age and study centre and adjusted for major confounding factors.Results:Women in the highest quartile category of proanthocyanidins with 3 mers vs the first three quartile categories had an OR for endometrial cancer of 0.66 (95% CI=0.48-0.89). For no other class of flavonoids, a significant overall association was found. There was a suggestion of an inverse association for flavanones and isoflavones among women with body mass index <25 kg m−2, and, for flavanones, among parous or non-users of hormone-replacement therapy women.Conclusion:High consumption of selected proanthocyanidins may reduce endometrial cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The Mediterranean diet has been shown to have a beneficial role on various neoplasms, but data are scanty on pancreatic cancer.Methods:We analysed data from two case-control studies conducted in Italy between 1983 and 2008, including 362 and 326 pancreatic cancer cases and 1552 and 652 hospital-controls, respectively. A Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) summarising major characteristics of the Mediterranean diet was used in the two studies separately and overall. Two further scores of adherence to the Mediterranean diet were applied in the second study only, the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern Adherence Index (MDP) and the Mediterranean Adequacy Index (MAI).Results:Odds ratios (ORs) for increasing levels of the scores (i.e., increasing adherence) were estimated using multiple logistic regression models. Odds ratio for a MDS score 6 compared with <3 was 0.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34-0.95) in the first study, 0.51 (95% CI 0.29-0.92) in the second study, and 0.48 (95% CI 0.35-0.67) overall. A trend of decreasing risk was observed also for the MDP and MAI the ORs for the highest vs the lowest quintile being 0.44 (95% CI 0.27-0.73) for MDP and 0.68 (95% CI 0.42-1.11) for the MAI. The results were consistent across strata of age, sex, education, body mass index, alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking, and diabetes.Conclusion:Our study provides evidence that a priori-defined scores measuring adherence to the Mediterranean diet are favourably associated with pancreatic cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objective:The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published dietary guidelines for the intakes of carbohydrates, fiber, fats and water. We evaluated their role on the risk of a specific disease, known to be related to diet.Subjects/Methods:We used data from an Italian case-control study including 1953 colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and 4154 controls. We developed a so-called EFSA index summing up 1 point for adherence to each EFSA guideline. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of CRC and its subsites were derived from unconditional multiple logistic regression models, for both the index and its components.Results:When each EFSA index component was analyzed separately, we found significant increased risks of CRC for non adherence to the guidelines on linoleic (OR=1.20, 95% CI, 1.07-1.36) and alpha-linolenic fatty acids (OR=1.19, 95% CI, 1.06-1.34). When all the guidelines were included in the same model, no significant association emerged. Compared with minimal adherence, the ORs of CRC for subsequent EFSA index scores were 1.03 (95% CI, 0.72-1.47), 1.05 (95% CI, 0.75-1.48), 1.04 (95% CI, 0.81-1.60), 0.99 (95% CI, 0.69-1.43), and 1.04 (95% CI, 0.67-1.61). No significant association emerged for colon and rectal cancer separately, and for males and females.Conclusions:Overall adherence to the EFSA dietary guidelines is not associated to colorectal, colon and rectal cancer risk in our population. Adherence to guidelines on linoleic and alpha-linolenic fatty acids may have a modest beneficial role on CRC risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometrial cancer is strongly associated with body mass index (BMI), but the influence of BMI history and of different types of obesity is uncertain.Methods: A case-control study was carried out in Italy including 454 cases and 908 controls admitted to hospital for acute non-hormone-related conditions. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using multivariate logistic and spline regression models.Results: The OR for BMI >30 at diagnosis compared with 20 to <25 kg m(-2) was 4.08 (95% CI: 2.90-5.74). The association for BMI was monotonic with a possible steeper increase for BMI above 28. Conversely, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) showed a bell shaped curve with increased OR (2.10; 95% CI: 1.43-3.09) in the intermediate tertile only. After stratification by BMI at diagnosis, history of weight loss and BMI at age 30 did not influence endometrial cancer risk. History of obesity in middle age had a weak and not significant adverse effect among obese women (OR=1.60; 95% CI: 0.52-4.96).Conclusion: The predominant importance of recent weight compared to lifetime history, justifies encouraging weight reduction in women at any age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: The reproducibility and validity of coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea intake has not been adequately studied, particularly in Italy, where coffee drinking is peculiar in terms of type and amount of coffee consumed. DESIGN:: We compared coffee and tea consumption, measured by two interviewer-administered food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), with average intake derived from two 7-day dietary (DD) records (the reference method) on 395 volunteers. The Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to assess both reproducibility and validity of information on coffee intake. RESULTS:: A satisfactory level of reproducibility and validity of the pattern consumption was observed for coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea. The reproducibility for both sex combined showed r of 0.74-0.78 for coffee, 0.57-0.65 for decaffeinated coffee and 0.61-0.67 for tea. The validity was about 0.70 for coffee, around 0.58 for decaffeinated coffee and 0.56-0.60 for tea intake. CONCLUSIONS:: The FFQ is a satisfactorily reliable and valid instrument for collecting information on coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea intake. SPONSORSHIP:: Supported by the Italian Association for Research on Cancer, Milan, Italy, and by the Commission of the European Communities (Contract No.: QLKI-CT-2000-00069).European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) 58, 674-680. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601864 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]