Francesca Bravi1, Jerry Polesel2, Werner Garavello3, Diego Serraino2, Eva Negri4, Gianni Franchin5, Carlo La Vecchia6, Cristina Bosetti4. 1. Dipartimento di Epidemiologia, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", via G. La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.bravi@marionegri.it. 2. S.O.C. Epidemiologia Oncologica, CRO Aviano National Cancer Institute, via F. Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano (PN), Italy. 3. Clinica Otorinolaringoiatrica, Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, via Cadore 48, 20052 Monza, Italy. 4. Dipartimento di Epidemiologia, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", via G. La Masa 19, 20156 Milan, Italy. 5. S.O.C. Oncologia Radioterapica, CRO Aviano National Cancer Institute, via F. Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano (PN), Italy. 6. Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Milano, via A. Vanzetti 5, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) have proposed eight recommendations for cancer prevention, related to body fatness, diet, and physical activity. Our aim is to evaluate the role of adherence to these recommendations on head and neck cancers risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained an overall score including seven of the WCRF/AICR recommendations, and examined its relationship with head and neck cancers risk in two Italian case-control studies including 946 patients with oral cavity and pharyngeal (OCP) cancer and 2492 controls, and 689 patients with laryngeal cancer and 1605 controls. RESULTS: Higher adherence to WCRF/AICR recommendations was associated to a reduced risk of OCP cancer (odds ratio, OR=0.45, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.33-0.62 for a score of 4-<5, and OR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.22-0.49 for a score of ⩾5 as compared to <3). The ORs for laryngeal cancer were 0.68 (95% CI: 0.50-0.92) for a score of 3-<4, 0.39 (95% CI: 0.28-0.55) for a score of 4-<5, and 0.24 (95% CI: 0.15-0.38) for a score of ⩾5. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that high adherence to the WCRF/AICR recommendations for cancer prevention is associated with a substantially decreased risk of head and neck cancers.
OBJECTIVES: The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) have proposed eight recommendations for cancer prevention, related to body fatness, diet, and physical activity. Our aim is to evaluate the role of adherence to these recommendations on head and neck cancers risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained an overall score including seven of the WCRF/AICR recommendations, and examined its relationship with head and neck cancers risk in two Italian case-control studies including 946 patients with oral cavity and pharyngeal (OCP) cancer and 2492 controls, and 689 patients with laryngeal cancer and 1605 controls. RESULTS: Higher adherence to WCRF/AICR recommendations was associated to a reduced risk of OCP cancer (odds ratio, OR=0.45, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.33-0.62 for a score of 4-<5, and OR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.22-0.49 for a score of ⩾5 as compared to <3). The ORs for laryngeal cancer were 0.68 (95% CI: 0.50-0.92) for a score of 3-<4, 0.39 (95% CI: 0.28-0.55) for a score of 4-<5, and 0.24 (95% CI: 0.15-0.38) for a score of ⩾5. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that high adherence to the WCRF/AICR recommendations for cancer prevention is associated with a substantially decreased risk of head and neck cancers.