Abstract
High dietary glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) may increase cancer risk. However, limited information was available on GI and/or GL and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk. We conducted a pooled analysis on 8 case-control studies (4081 HNC cases; 7407 controls) from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium. We estimated the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of HNC, and its subsites, from fixed- or mixed-effects logistic models including centre-specific quartiles of GI or GL. GI, but not GL, had a weak positive association with HNC (ORQ4 vs. Q1 = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.02–1.31). In subsites, we found a positive association between GI and laryngeal cancer (ORQ4 vs. Q1 = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.30–1.96) and an inverse association between GL and oropharyngeal cancer (ORQ4 vs. Q1 = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.63–0.97). This pooled analysis indicates a modest positive association between GI and HNC, mainly driven by laryngeal cancer.
Highlights
Most head and neck cancers (HNCs) are attributed to tobacco smoking and/or alcohol drinking.[1]
The objective of this paper is to assess the association of glycaemic index (GI) or glycaemic load (GL) with HNC and its subsites using pooled dietary data from eight case-control studies participating in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium.[8]
Across HNC subsites, GI was associated with an increased laryngeal cancer risk (ORQ4 vs. Q1 = 1.60; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) = 1.30–1.96, ptrend < 0.001), but excluding laryngeal cancer cases, the ORQ4 vs. Q1 was 1.01
Summary
Most head and neck cancers (HNCs) are attributed to tobacco smoking and/or alcohol drinking.[1] Diet has been suggested to play a role in HNC aetiology, with non-starchy vegetables and selected healthy dietary patterns being inversely related with HNC risk.[2]. Average daily glycaemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate foods based on the postprandial blood glucose response; average glycaemic load (GL) estimates the impact of carbohydrate consumption using the GI, while taking into account the amount of carbohydrates that are consumed.[3] Higher GI and GL are moderately associated with risk of several cancers,[4] likely because of stimulation of insulin release and bioactivity of insulin-like growth factor-1, which has proliferative, angiogenic, antiapoptotic and oestrogen stimulating properties.[5].
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