title: Proanthocyanidins and other flavonoids in relation to pancreatic cancer: a case-control study in Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Four cohort studies have examined the relation between flavonoids and pancreatic cancer risk providing inconsistent results.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control study between 1991 and 2008 in Northern Italy. Subjects were 326 cases with incident pancreatic cancer and 652 frequency-matched controls (admitted to the same hospitals as cases for acute non-neoplastic conditions) who answered a reproducible and valid food-frequency questionnaire. We computed odds ratios (ORs) using logistic regression models conditioned on gender, age and study center, and adjusted for education, history of diabetes, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and energy intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proanthocyanidins with three or more mers were inversely related to pancreatic cancer risk. The ORs were similar in all classes of polymers with three or more mers and in their combination (OR for the highest versus the lowest quintile of intake, 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.69), and did not substantially change after adjustment for fruit and vegetable consumption, and for vitamin C and folate intakes. Eating an additional portion of fruits rich in proanthocyanidins every day reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 25%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary proanthocyanidins-mostly present in apples, pears and pulses-may convey some protection against pancreatic cancer risk.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Milan, Italy. marta.rossi@marionegri.it
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Rossi
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Lugo
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Lagiou
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Zucchetto
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Polesel
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Serraino
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Negri
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Trichopoulos
authors: C
authors: C
authors: La Vecchia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D044945:Proanthocyanidins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D044945:Proanthocyanidins