Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Consumption of Food Groups and the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Case–Control Study

  • ORIGINAL RESEARCH
  • Published:
Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the consumption of specific food groups predicts the risk of pancreatic cancer, a case–control study of nutrition and pancreatic cancer among French-Canadians was carried out in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Methods

A total of 179 pancreatic cancer cases (97 males and 82 females) and 239 population-based control subjects were interviewed. Dietary intake was evaluated via a validated food frequency questionnaire that gathers information on over 200 different food items and beverages. Odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed by unconditional logistic regression.

Results

After adjustment for age, smoking, diabetes status, proxy interview, gender and total energy intake, a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer was related to vegetables and vegetable products [OR = 0.47; 95%CI: (0.21–1.06) p-trend = 0.024], while an increased risk was associated with the consumption of lamb, veal and game [OR = 2.24; 95%CI: (1.11–4.52) p-trend = 0.026], when the upper and lower quartiles of intake were compared. Changes in dietary intake over the last decade revealed an elevated risk with augmented consumption of soups, sauces and gravies [OR = 2.32; 95%CI: (1.20–4.49) p-trend=0.03], beef products [OR = 2.07; 95%CI: (0.95–4.51) p-trend=0.05] as well as fish and shellfish [OR = 1.48; 95%CI: (0.78–2.80) p-trend=0.05].

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a diet rich in vegetables and vegetable products may decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Parkin EM, Pisani P, Ferlay J. Estimates of the worldwide incidence of 25 major cancers in 1990. Int J Cancer. 1999;80:827–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Cancer Statistics, 2006.

  3. Ghadirian P, Simard A, Baillargeon J, Maisonneuve P, Boyle P. Nutritional factors and pancreatic cancer in the Francophone community in Montreal, Canada. Int J Cancer. 1991;47:1–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Howe GR, Ghadirian P, de Mesquita HB Bueno, Zatonski WA, Baghurst PA, Miller AB, et al. A collaborative case–control study of nutrient intake and pancreatic cancer within the SEARCH Program. Int J Cancer. 1992;51:365–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ghadirian P, Lynch HT, Krewski D. Epidemiology of pancreatic cancer: an overview. Cancer Detect Prev. 2003;27(2):87–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of cancer: a global perspective. 2007.

  7. Ghadirian P, Thouez JP, Petitclerc C. International comparisons of nutrition and mortality from pancreatic cancer. Cancer Detect Prev. 1991;15:357–62.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hirayama T. A large scale cohort study on the relationship between diet and selected cancers of digestive organs. In: Bruce WR, editor. Gastrointestinal cancer: endogenous factors. New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1981. p. 409–26. Banbury Report 7.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Mills PK, Beeson WL, Abbey DE, Fraser GE, Phillips RL. Dietary habits and past medical history as related to fatal pancreas cancer risk among Adventists. Cancer. 1988;61:2578–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Falk RT, Pickle LW, Fontham ET, Correa P, Fraumeni Jr JF. Lifestyle risk factors for pancreatic cancer in Louisiana: a case–control study. Am J Epidemiol. 1988;128:324–36.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ghadirian P, Baillargeon J, Simard A, Perret C. Food habits and pancreatic cancer a case–control study of the Francophone community in Montreal, Canada. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev. 1995;4:895–9.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Ghadirian P, Simard A, Baillargeon J. Tobacco, alcohol, coffee and cancer of the pancreas: a population-based case–control study in Québec, Canada. Cancer. 1991;67:2664–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Nkondjock A, Krewski D, Johnson KC, Ghadirian P, The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Specific fatty acid intake and the risk of pancreatic cancer in Canada. Br J Cancer. 2005;92:971–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Nkondjock A, Ghadirian P, Johnson KC, Krewski D, The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Dietary intake of lycopene is associated with reduced pancreatic cancer risk. J Nutr. 2005;135:592–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Jain M, Howe GR, Johnson KC, Miller AB. Evaluation of a diet history questionnaire for epidemiologic studies. Am J Epidemiol. 1980;111:212–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Nkondjock A, Krewski D, Johnson DC, Ghadirian P, The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Dietary patterns and risk of pancreatic cancer. Int J Cancer. 2005;114:817–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Silverman DT, Swanson CA, Gridley G, Wacholder S, Greenberg RS, Brown LM, et al. Dietary and nutritional factors and pancreatic cancer: a case–control study based on direct interviews. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1998;90:1710–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Inoue M, Tajima K, Takezaki T, Hamajima N, Hirose K, Ito H, et al. Epidemiology of pancreatic cancer in Japan: a nested case–control study from the Hospital-based Epidemiologic Research Program at Aichi Cancer Center (HERPACC). Int J Epidemiol. 2003;32:257–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Ohba S, Nishi M, Miyake H. Eating habits and pancreas cancer. Int J Pancreatol. 1996;20:37–42.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Grubbs CJ, Steele VE, Casebolt T, Juliana MM, Eto I, Whitaker LM, et al. Chemoprevention of chemically-induced mammary carcinogenesis by indole-3-carbinol. Anticancer Res. 1995;15:709–16.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Katdare M, Osborne MP, Telang NT. Inhibition of aberrant proliferation and induction of apoptosis in pre-neoplastic human mammary epithelial cells by natural phytochemicals. Oncol Rep. 1998;5:311–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Hamel E, Lin CM, Plowman J, Wang HK, Lee KH, Paull KD. Antitumor 2, 3-dihydro-2-(aryl)-4(1H)-quinazolinone derivatives. Interactions with tubulin. Biochem Pharmacol. 1996;51:53–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Taioli E, Garbers S, Bradlow HL, Carmella SG, Akerkar S, Hecht SS. Effects of indole-3-carbinol on the metabolism of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in smokers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev. 1997;6:517–22.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Cooper DA, Eldridge AL, Peters JC. Dietary carotenoids and certain cancers, heart disease, and age-related macular degeneration: a review of recent research. Nutr Rev. 1999;57:210–4.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zhang LX, Cooney RV, Bertram JS. Carotenoids enhance gap junctional communication and inhibit lipid peroxidation in C3H/1 OT1/2 cells: relationship to their cancer chemopreventive action. Carcinogenesis. 1991;12:2109–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Mack TM, Yu MC, Hanisch R, Henderson BR. Pancreas cancer and smoking, beverage consumption, and past medical history. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1986;76:49–60.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Norell SE, Ahlbom A, Erwald R, Jacobson G, Lindberg-Navier I, Olin R, et al. Diet and pancreatic cancer: a case–control study. Am J Epidemiol. 1986;124:894–902.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Olsen GW, Mandel JS, Gibson RW, Wattenberg LW, Schuman LM. A case–control study of pancreatic cancer and cigarettes, alcohol, coffee and diet. Am J Public Health. 1989;79:1016–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Farrow DC, Davis S. Diet and the risk of pancreatic cancer in men. Am J Epidemiol. 1990;132:423–31.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Soler M, Chatenoud L, La Vecchia C, Franceschi S, Negri E. Diet, alcohol, coffee and pancreatic cancer: final results from an Italian study. Eur J Cancer Prev. 1998;7:455–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Anderson KE, Sinha R, Kulldorff M, Gross M, Lang NP, Barber C, et al. Meat intake and cooking techniques: associations with pancreatic cancer. Mutat Res. 2002;506–507:225–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Tavani A, La Vecchia C, Gallus S, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Levi F, et al. Red meat intake and cancer risk: a study in Italy. Int J Cancer. 2000;86:425–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Zhang Y, Cantor KP, Lynch CF, Zhu Y, Zheng T. Occupation and risk of pancreatic cancer: a population-based case–control study in Iowa. J Occup Environ Med. 2005;47:392–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. La Vecchia C, Negri E, D'Ayanzo B, Ferraroni M, Gramenzi A, Savoldelli R, et al. Medical history, diet and pancreatic cancer. Oncology. 1990;47:463–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Bueno de Mesquita HB, Maisonneuve P, Runia S, Moerman CJ. Intake of foods and nutrients and cancer of the exocrine pancreas: a population-based case–control study in The Netherlands. Int J Cancer. 1991;48:540–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Ji BT, Chow WH, Gridley G, Mclaughlin JK, Dai Q, Wacholder S, et al. Dietary factors and the risk of pancreatic cancer: a case–control study in Shanghai, China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1995;4:885–93.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Pietinen P, Taylor PR, Virtamo J, Albanes D. Prospective study of diet and pancreatic cancer in male smokers. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;155:783–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Khan MM, Goto R, Kobayashi K, Suzumura S, Nagata Y, Sonoda T, et al. Dietary habits and cancer mortality among middle aged and older Japanese living in Hokkaido, Japan by cancer site and sex. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2004;5:58–65.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Hirayama T. Epidemiology of pancreatic cancer in Japan. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 1989;19:208–15.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zheng W, McLaughlin JK, Gridley G, Bjelke E, Schuman LM, Silverman DT, et al. A cohort study of smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary factors for pancreatic cancer (United States). Cancer Causes Control. 1993;4:477–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Nothlings U, Wilkens LR, Murphy SP, Hankin JH, Henderson BE, Kolonel LN. Meat and fat intake as risk factors for pancreatic cancer: the multiethnic cohort study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005;97:1458–65. Erratum in: J Natl Cancer Inst 2006; 98(11):796.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Coughlin SS, Calle EE, Patel AV, Thun MJ. Predictors of pancreatic cancer mortality among a large cohort of United States adults. Cancer Causes Control. 2000;11:915–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Pietinen P, Taylor PR, Virtamo J, Albanes D. A prospective study of diet and pancreatic cancer in male smokers. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;155:783–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Michaud DS, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Colditz GA, Fuchs CS. Dietary meat, dairy products, fat, and cholesterol and pancreatic cancer risk in a prospective study. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;157:1115–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Mainz DL, Black O, Webster PD. Hormonal control of pancreatic growth. J Clin Invest. 1973;52:2300–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Summerskill WH, Wolpert E. Ammonia metabolism in the gut. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970;23:633–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Kazerouni N, Sinha R, Hsu CH, Greenberg A, Rothman N. Analysis of 200 food items for benzo[a]pyrene and estimation of its intake in an epidemiologic study. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001;39:423–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Keating GA, Bogen KT. Estimates of heterocyclic amine intake in the US population. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2004;802:127–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Polynuclear Aromatic Compounds, Part 1, Chemical, environmental and experimental data. Lyon (France): IARC, 1983 (IARC monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans, Volume 32).

  50. Risch HA. Etiology of pancreatic cancer, with a hypothesis concerning the role of N-nitroso compounds and excess gastric acidity. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003;95:948–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mrs Simone Montpetit for typing the manuscript and Mr Ovid Da Silva for editing the article.

Funding

This study was supported by the Cancer Research Society in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Research Unit, Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM)–Hôtel-Dieu, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3850 St. Urbain St., Montreal, H2W 1T7, QC, Canada

    Parviz Ghadirian

  2. Research Center for Military Health and Younde Military Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon

    André Nkondjock

Authors
  1. Parviz Ghadirian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. André Nkondjock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Parviz Ghadirian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ghadirian, P., Nkondjock, A. Consumption of Food Groups and the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Case–Control Study. J Gastrointest Canc 41, 121–129 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-009-9127-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-009-9127-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation