ascorbic-acid and Hypopharyngeal-Neoplasms

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most-common type of cancer worldwide. Evidence regarding the potential protective effect of vitamins and carotenoids on HNC is limited and mostly based on case-control studies.. We evaluated the association of intake of dietary vitamins C and E (including supplementation) and the most-common carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein plus zeaxanthin, lycopene, and β-cryptoxanthin) and risk of HNC and HNC subtypes in a large prospective study.. The Netherlands Cohort Study included 120,852 participants. For efficiency reasons, a case-cohort design was used. At baseline in 1986, participants completed a food-frequency questionnaire. A subcohort was randomly selected from the total cohort. After 20.3 y of follow-up, 3898 subcohort members and 415 HNC cases [131 oral cavity cancer (OCCs), 88 oro-/hypopharyngeal cancer (OHPs), and 193 laryngeal cancer cases] were available for analysis. Rate ratios and 95% CIs for highest (quartile 4) compared with lowest (quartile 1) quartiles of vitamin and carotenoid intake were estimated by using the Cox proportional hazards model.. A strong inverse association was shown between vitamin C and HNC overall (multivariable-adjusted rate ratio for quartile 4 compared with quartile 1: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.66; P-trend < 0.001), OCC (multivariable-adjusted rate ratio for quartile 4 compared with quartile 1: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.77; P-trend < 0.05), and OHPC (multivariable-adjusted rate ratio for quartile 4 compared with quartile 1: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.67; P-trend < 0.01). No statistically significant results were shown for vitamin E, α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein plus zeaxanthin. The association of vitamin E and HNC was modified by alcohol status (P-interaction = 0.003) with lower risks in alcohol abstainers.. With this study, we show an inverse association between intake of vitamin C and the incidence of HNC and HNC-subtypes. Future research is recommended to investigate the underlying mechanisms and to confirm our results, which may be promising for the prevention of HNC.

Topics: Aged; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Carotenoids; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms; Incidence; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms; Netherlands; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms; Prospective Studies; Registries; Risk Factors; Vitamin E

Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Ascorbic Acid; Diet; Humans; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Smoking; Vegetables; Vitamins

Little information is available on the role of tobacco, alcohol and diet in the survival of upper aero digestive cancers. Our study analysed the survival of 931 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer patients, enrolled in a population based case-control study conducted at 5 centres in southeast Europe during 1979-1982. Age at the time of diagnosis and site of origin of tumour were observed to be predictors of the survival. Cigarette smoking, and to a limited extent alcohol drinking, before the diagnosis of tumour seem to influence the overall survival whereas high intakes of vegetables and vitamin C were observed to favourably affect the prognosis. For mortality from upper aerodigestive cancer protective effects of high intakes of vegetables, fibres and vitamin C were observed. Our results support the hypothesis that there is a role for dietary intervention to improve survival of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer patients.

Topics: Aged; Alcohol Drinking; Ascorbic Acid; Case-Control Studies; Diet; Dietary Fiber; Europe; Female; Humans; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Life Style; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk Factors; Smoking; Survival Rate; Vegetables