title: High glycemic index and glycemic load are associated with moderately increased cancer risk.
abstract: METHODS
  To obtain an up-to-date quantification of the association between dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) and the risk of cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies updated to January 2015. Summary relative risks (RRs) were derived using random effects models. Seventy-five reports were evaluated in the systematic review (147,090 cases), and 72 were included in the meta-analyses by cancer site. Considering hormone-related cancers, summary RRs comparing the highest versus the lowest GI and GL intake were, respectively, 1.05 and 1.07 for breast, 1.13 and 1.17 for endometrial, 1.11 and 1.19 for ovarian, and 1.06 and 1.04 for prostate cancers. Considering digestive-tract cancers, summary RRs for GI and GL were, respectively, 1.46 and 1.25 for esophageal (squamous cell carcinoma), 1.17 and 1.10 for stomach, 1.16 (significant) and 1.10 for colorectal, 1.11 and 1.14 for liver, and 1.10 and 1.01 for pancreatic cancers. In most of these meta-analyses, significant heterogeneity among studies was observed. In subgroup analyses, case-control studies and studies from Europe tended to estimate higher RRs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-GI and high-GL diets are related to moderately increased risk of cancer at several common sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turati
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galeone
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Livia S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Augustin
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: David J A
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pelucchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D038321:Glycemic Index; D000067940:Glycemic Load; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Cancer; Diet; Glycemic index; Glycemic load; Risk