title: Salivary nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds in patients with cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract.
abstract: N-nitroso compounds are carcinogens that can be ingested directly or synthesized from nitrites and nitrates. The possible role of N-nitroso compounds in the induction of upper aerodigestive tract tumours was considered in a case-control study conducted in the Valle d'Aosta, an Italian region with a high incidence of these neoplasms. Nitrate, nitrite, labile and stable N-nitroso compounds were analysed in the saliva of 36 patients with cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract and 23 healthy individuals. After allowing for tobacco, salivary nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds were not associated with an increased risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancers. The odds ratio for continuous units of total N-nitros compounds was 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.9-1.1). Thus, salivary nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds might not be suitable markers for the assessment of the risk of cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract, although a role for N-nitroso compounds cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Airoldi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mercato
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vago
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fanelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vierucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis*; D009603:Nitroso Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009603:Nitroso Compounds