Egg consumption and the risk of cancer: a multisite case-control study in Uruguay.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have suggested that egg consumption may increase the risk of colorectal cancer and some other cancers. However, the evidence is still limited. To further explore the association between egg intake and cancer risk we conducted a case-control study of 11 cancer sites in Uruguay between 1996 and 2004, including 3,539 cancer cases and 2,032 hospital controls.


RESULTS
In the multivariable model with adjustment for age, sex (when applicable), residence, education, income, interviewer, smoking, alcohol intake, intake of fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy products, fatty foods, meat, energy intake and BMI, there was a significant increase in the odds of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx (OR= 2.02, 95% CI: 1.19-3.44), upper aerodigestive tract (OR= 1.67, 95% CI: 1.17-2.37), colorectum (OR= 1.64, 95% CI: 1.02-2.63), lung (OR= 1.59, 95% CI: 1.10-2.29), breast (OR= 2.86, 95% CI: 1.66-4.92), prostate (OR= 1.89, 95% CI: 1.15-3.10), bladder (OR= 2.23, 95% CI: 1.30-3.83) and all cancer sites combined (OR= 1.71, 95% CI: 1.35-2.17) with a high vs low egg intake.


CONCLUSIONS
We found an association between higher intake of eggs and increased risk of several cancers. Further prospective studies of these associations are warranted.
Aune
Dagfinn
D
Kjetilsvei, Oslo, Norway. dagfinn.aune@medisin.uio.no
De Stefani
Eduardo
E
Ronco
Alvaro L
AL
Boffetta
Paolo
P
Deneo-Pellegrini
Hugo
H
Acosta
Giselle
G
Mendilaharsu
Maria
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004531:Eggs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012907:Smoking; D015996:Survival Rate; D014583:Uruguay / Q000453:epidemiology; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult