Does pizza protect against cancer?
We analyzed the potential role of pizza on cancer risk, using data from an integrated network of case-control studies conducted in Italy between 1991 and 2000. Cancer sites were: oral cavity and pharynx (598 cases), esophagus (304 cases), larynx (460 cases), colon (1,225 cases) and rectum (728 cases). Controls were 4,999 patients admitted for acute, non-neoplastic conditions to the same hospital network as cases. Odds ratios for regular pizza consumers were 0.66 (95% confidence interval, CI = 0.47-0.93) for oral and pharyngeal cancer, 0.41 (95% CI = 0.25-0.69) for oesophageal, 0.82 (95% CI = 0.56-1.19) for laryngeal, 0.74 (95% CI = 0.61-0.89) for colon and 0.93 (95% CI = 0.75-1.17) for rectal cancer. Pizza appears therefore to be a favorable indicator of risk for digestive tract neoplasms in this population.
Gallus
Silvano
S
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy. gallus@marionegri.it
Bosetti
Cristina
C
Negri
Eva
E
Talamini
Renato
R
Montella
Maurizio
M
Conti
Ettore
E
Franceschi
Silvia
S
La Vecchia
Carlo
C
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors