Objective allergy markers and risk of cancer mortality and hospitalization in a large population-based cohort.
OBJECTIVE
There are indications that a history of allergy may offer some protection against cancer. We studied the relation of three objectively determined allergy markers with cancer mortality and hospitalization risk.


METHODS
Associations between three allergy markers (number of peripheral blood eosinophil counts, skin test positivity, and serum total IgE) with mortality and hospitalization from any type and four common types of cancer (lung, colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer) were assessed in the Vlagtwedde-Vlaardingen cohort (1965-1990), with follow-up of mortality until 31 December 2008. Hospitalization data were available since 1 January 1995.


RESULTS
There were no significant associations between objective allergy markers and cancer mortality or hospitalization. We found several associations in specific subgroups. A higher number of eosinophils was associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer mortality in ever smokers HR (95 % CI) = 0.61 (0.45-0.83) and in males 0.59 (0.42-0.83); however, no overall association was observed 0.84 (0.64-1.09). Skin test positivity was associated with a decreased risk of any cancer mortality only among females 0.59 (0.38-0.91) and showed no overall association 0.83 (0.67-1.04). Serum total IgE levels were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer mortality among females 4.64 (1.04-20.70), but with a decreased risk of cancer hospitalization in ever smokers 0.77 (0.61-0.97) and males 0.72 (0.55-0.93); however, no overall associations were observed [mortality 0.99 (0.79-1.25), and hospitalization 0.86 (0.71-1.04)].


CONCLUSIONS
We found no associations between objective allergy markers and cancer in the total population. However, skin test positivity and a high number of eosinophils were associated with a reduced risk to die of cancer in specific subgroups. Hence, it seems important to study specific subgroups defined by gender and smoking habits in order to identify allergy markers of predictive value for cancer mortality.
Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Niloofar
N
Taghizadeh
Judith M
JM
Vonk
Jeannette J
JJ
Hospers
Dirkje S
DS
Postma
Elisabeth G E
EG
de Vries
Jan P
JP
Schouten
H Marike
HM
Boezen
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012882:Skin Tests
D015415:Biomarkers; D007073:Immunoglobulin E