Dietary patterns and the risk of oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer in Syria: a case control study

Abstract

Background: No study has investigated the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer in the Middle East and North Africa region. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and the risk of oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer in Syria. Methods: A hospital-based unmatched case-control study was conducted on 108 cases with histologically confirmed oral, pharyngeal or laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 105 healthy controls, who did not suffer from any dietrelated diseases. Dietary intake data were collected by a face-to-face interview, using a food frequency questionnaire. Socio-demographic and health risk behavioural information was collected using a self-completed questionnaire. Factor analysis and logistic and linear regression analyses were performed. The level of significance was set at 5 %. Results: The factor analysis revealed three dietary patterns labeled "Western", "Traditional Syrian" and "High Protein". The results of logistic regression analyses showed that consumption of Western food in the middle and high tertiles posed a significant increased oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer risk of four and three-fold, respectively (adjusted OR = 4.05, 2.80; 95 % CI = 1.57-10.44, 1.05-7.51; P = 0.004, 0.041; respectively). In contrast, consumption of Traditional Syrian in the high tertile and High Protein in the middle and high tertiles displayed significant protective effects in relation to oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer risk (adjusted OR = 0.28, 0.24, 0.10; 95 % CI = 0.10-0.80, 0.10-0.62, 0.03-0.25; P = 0.018, 0.003, <0.001; respectively). Compared to males, females were more likely to adhere to the High Protein dietary pattern. Traditional Syrian pattern's scores decreased with increasing level of education and smoking. High Protein pattern's scores decreased with age and smoking and increased with working status. Conclusions: Traditional Syrian and High Protein dietary patterns were associated with a decreased oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer risk, whereas Western pattern was associated with an increased oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer risk.