Diet and proinflammatory cytokine levels in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Proinflammatory cytokine levels may be associated with cancer stage, recurrence, and survival. The objective of this study was to determine whether cytokine levels were associated with dietary patterns and fat-soluble micronutrients in patients with previously untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 160 patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC who completed pretreatment food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) and health surveys. Dietary patterns were derived from FFQs using principal component analysis. Pretreatment serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and serum carotenoid and tocopherol levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression models examined associations between cytokines and quartiles of reported and serum dietary variables.


RESULTS
Three dietary patterns emerged: whole foods, Western, and convenience foods. In multivariable analyses, higher whole foods pattern scores were significantly associated with lower levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ (P ≤ .001, P = .008, and P = .03, respectively). Significant inverse associations were reported between IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels and quartiles of total reported carotenoid intake (P = .006, P = .04, and P = .04, respectively). There was an inverse association between IFN-γ levels and serum α-tocopherol levels (P = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
Consuming a pretreatment diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, and whole grains may be associated with lower proinflammatory cytokine levels in patients with HNSCC.
Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Anna E
AE
Arthur
Karen E
KE
Peterson
Jincheng
J
Shen
Zora
Z
Djuric
Jeremy M G
JM
Taylor
James R
JR
Hebert
Sonia A
SA
Duffy
Lisa A
LA
Peterson
Emily L
EL
Bellile
Joel R
JR
Whitfield
Douglas B
DB
Chepeha
Matthew J
MJ
Schipper
Gregory T
GT
Wolf
Laura S
LS
Rozek
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators
carotenoids; cytokines; dietary patterns; head and neck cancer