title: Dietary intake and the risk of malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: A high consumption of fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of several types of cancer. There is little information on the association between dietary intake and mesothelioma. A hospital-based case-control study of 94 men and women with malignant mesothelioma and 64 control patients without cancer was conducted to determine the odds associated with consumption of carotenoid-containing fruits and vegetables. After statistical adjustment for occupational asbestos exposure, the odds ratio was 0.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.8] for carrot consumption and 0.5 (95% CI 0.2-1.4) for tomato consumption. However, the frequency of consuming other foods that have a high vitamin A or carotenoid content was not associated with a decreased risk of cancer. These results provide some justification for the hypothesis that provitamin A or beta-carotene may decrease the risk of mesothelioma. The body mass index was unrelated to the risk of mesothelioma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, American Health Foundation, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Muscat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huncharek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003710:Demography; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D014815:Vitamins
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D001194:Asbestos