title: Nutrient intake and ovarian cancer: an Italian case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of selected macronutrients, cholesterol, and fatty acids in the etiology of epithelial ovarian cancer was analyzed using data from a case-control study carried out in five Italian areas between January 1992 and December 1999.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases comprised 1,031 women with incident, histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer, admitted to the major teaching and general hospitals of the study areas. Controls comprised 2,411 women admitted for acute, non-neoplastic conditions to the same network of hospitals. Information on dietary habits was elicited using a validated food-frequency questionnaire including 78 food groups and recipes. Odds ratios (OR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed by subsequent quintiles of nutrient intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Direct associations with ovarian cancer emerged for starch intake (OR = 1.4 in the highest vs the lowest quintile of intake; 95% CI 1.1-1.8), while inverse associations emerged for monounsaturated (OR=0.7; 95% CI 0.5-0.9), and polyunsaturated (OR = 0.7; 95% CI 0.5-0.9) fatty acids. Among fatty acids, oleic (OR = 0.7; 95% CI 0.5-0.9), linoleic (OR = 0.7; 95% CI 0.5-0.9), and linolenic (OR = 0.8; 95% CI 0.6-1.0) acids were inversely related to ovarian cancer. When, however, six macronutrients were included in the same model, only the adverse effect of high starch intake remained significant. Results were consistent in separate strata of menopausal status, parity, and energy intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Starch was directly associated, and unsaturated fatty acids were inversely associated, with ovarian cancer risk.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, Italy. epidemiology@cro.it
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bidoli
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.forename: Luigino Dal
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Maso
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scarabelli
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decarli
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceschi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004032:Diet; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013213:Starch / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D018977:Micronutrients; D013213:Starch