title: The role of vegetable and fruit consumption in the aetiology of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus: a case-control study in Uruguay.
abstract: There is strong evidence of a protection of high consumption of plant foods against squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus, but the respective role of fruits and vegetables is not well elucidated. In the time period 1996-2003, a case-control study designed in order to address this question was conducted in Uruguay. The study included 200 cases and 400 age- and sex-matched controls. High total vegetable and total fruit consumption was the strongest protective food group for this malignancy (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.18-0.51). When this food group was dissected in total vegetables and total fruits, the latter item was more protective than the former one (OR for total fruits 0.48, 95% CI 0.35-0.66) (p-value for difference between both variables 0.04). Finally, when total fruits were dissected in citrus fruits and other fruits, citrus fruits were strongly associated with a reduction in risk (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.34-0.67). The results of our study point towards an important role of fruits in the prevention of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología, Instituto Nacional de Oncología, Montevideo, Uruguay. estefani@adinet.com.uy
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Stefani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffetta
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deneo-Pellegrini
authors.forename: Alvaro L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ronco
authors.forename: Pelayo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendilaharsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014583:Uruguay; D014675:Vegetables