Intake of meat and fish and risk of head–neck cancer subtypes in the Netherlands Cohort Study

Abstract

PurposeTo date, the role of meat and fish intake in head–neck cancer (HNC) etiology is not well understood and prospective evidence is limited. This prompted us to study the association between meat, fish, and HNC subtypes, i.e., oral cavity cancer (OCC), oro- and hypopharyngeal cancer (OHPC), and laryngeal cancer (LC), within the Netherlands Cohort Study (NLCS).MethodsIn 1986, 120,852 participants (aged 55–69 years) completed a baseline 150-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), from which daily meat and fish intake were calculated. After 20.3 years of follow-up, 430 HNC overall (134 OCC, 90 OHPC and 203 LC) cases and 4,111 subcohort members were found to be eligible for case–cohort analysis. Multivariate hazard ratios were calculated using Cox’s proportional hazards model within quartiles of energy-adjusted meat and fish intake.ResultsProcessed meat intake, but not red meat intake, was positively associated with HNC overall [HR(Q4 vs. Q1) = 1.46, 95% CI 1.06–2.00; ptrend = 0.03]. Among HNC subtypes, processed meat was positively associated with OCC, while no associations were found with OHPC and LC. Fish intake was not associated with HNC risk. Tests for interaction did not reveal statistically significant interaction between meat, fish, and alcohol or smoking on HNC overall risk.ConclusionsIn this large cohort study, processed meat intake was positively associated with HNC overall and HNC subtype OCC, but not with OHPC and LC.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10552-017-0892-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Impacts of Environmental Factors on Head and Neck Cancer Pathogenesis and Progression

“…Interestingly, in the subgroup analyzed, a positive association was only seen for tumors located in the oral cavity [92]. In contrast, in a combined analysis including fried foods, processed meats, and sweets, a positive association was only seen for laryngeal cancer [85].…”

“…Still, data regarding the relationship between the high consumption of red meat and processed meat and the risk of HNSCC are limited to a few studies with controversial results. A prospective study with a follow-up of over 20 years, however, reported a direct association between high intake of processed meat and HNSCC [ 92 ]. Subjects reporting intake of processed meat three or more times a week were found to have a significantly increased risk of HNSCC compared with those without processed foods in their diets [ 80 ].…”

Country-Level Relationships of the Human Intake of N and P, Animal and Vegetable Food, and Alcoholic Beverages with Cancer and Life Expectancy

“…Most studies have detected significant links between different diets and some types of cancers ([ 3 , 4 , 5 , 11 , 12 ], among several others). For example, most studies have found a positive link between a high intake of animal food and colon and colorectal [ 3 , 4 , 13 ], prostate [ 14 ], bladder [ 11 ], breast [ 15 , 16 ], and head/neck [ 12 ] cancers. The associated risk for meat is even higher when meat has been cooked at high temperature, since cooking meat at high temperatures can generate carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines [ 14 , 17 ].…”

“…Some studies have observed a reduced risk of the recurrence of prostate cancer if the intake of red meat was at least partially substituted by fish or poultry [ 4 ]. Some studies, though, have not found relationships between the level of intake of marine animals and some types of cancer, such as head/neck cancers (e.g., Perloy et al, 2017 [ 12 ]).…”

“…For example, some fruits and vegetables can help to prevent or be used to treat chronic human diseases [ 45 ]. Epidemiological and statistical studies have found that some diets, such as Mediterranean, Japanese, and vegetarian diets, are correlated with lower risks of several mortal illnesses and, thus, with average lifespan [ 12 ]. Both food quality and quantity (calorie intake] have also been correlated with human health and longevity [ 46 , 47 ], although some studies failed to find clear relationships (e.g., Shanley & Kirkwood, 2006 [ 48 ]).…”