Preserved foods associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer

- Higher intake of preserved foods increases ovarian cancer risk.
- Etiologic information on ovarian cancer in a low incidence population.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between consumption of preserved foods and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in southern Chinese women.MethodsA hospital-based case-control study was undertaken in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, from 2006 to 2008. Participants were 500 incident epithelial ovarian cancer patients and 500 controls, with a mean age 59 years. Information on habitual food consumption was obtained by face-to-face interview using a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between preserved foods intake and the ovarian cancer risk.ResultsThe ovarian cancer patients consumed more preserved foods (median 15.5, interquartile range (IQR) 18.2 g/day) than controls (median 13.8, IQR 20.5 g/day), p < 0.001. The adjusted odds ratios of ovarian cancer was 1.78 (95% confidence interval 1.35 to 2.34) for women consuming more than 13.5 g of preserved vegetables and preserved meats per day relative to those below. Similar two-fold increases in risk at high level of intake were also evident for serous and mucinous subtypes of epithelial ovarian tumours.ConclusionIntake of preserved foods was positively associated with the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer in southern Chinese women.