Preserved foods associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer in sourthern Chinese women

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between consumption of preserved foods and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in southern Chinese women.

METHODS:

A hospital-based case-control study was undertaken in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, from 2006 to 2008. Participants were 500 incident epithelial ovarian cancer patients and 500 controls, with a mean age 59 years. Information on habitual food consumption was obtained by face-to-face interview using a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between preserved foods intake and the ovarian cancer risk.

RESULTS:

The ovarian cancer patients consumed more preserved foods (median 15.5, interquartile range (IQR) 18.2 g/day) than controls (median 13.8, IQR 20.5 g/day), p < 0.001. The adjusted odds ratios of ovarian cancer was 1.78 (95% confidence interval 1.35 to 2.34) for women consuming more than 13.5 g of preserved vegetables and preserved meats per day relative to those below. Similar two-fold increases in risk at high level of intake were also evident for serous and mucinous subtypes of epithelial ovarian tumours.

CONCLUSION:

Intake of preserved foods was positively associated with the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer in southern Chinese women.