Relative risk of dietary components and colorectal cancer

To investigate the relative risk factor of dietary components for colorectal cancer in a Chinese rural area through a hospital-based study.

Colorectal cancer patients diagnosed at a county cancer center, Hebei Province, China, and out-patients with similar age, sex and resident place were selected for cases and controls, respectively. All subjects were given to interview about their food intake using a foods frequency questionnaire. The intake of different dietary components and life style were compared between cases and controls.

There were 45 colorectal cancer patients and 45 outpatients being the cases and controls in the hospital-based study. In comparison of dietary components between cases and controls, milks, vegetables, fruits and teas had protective effect, and odds ratios were 0.21 (95% CI 0.07-0.60), 0.13 (95% CI 0.03-0.49), 0.27 (95% CI 0.11-0.68) and 0.39 (95% CI 0.16-0.98), respectively. Meats and saturated fats had an increased risk for colorectal cancer, and odds ratios were 5. 13 (95% CI 1.54-17.00) and 3.61 (95% CI 1.17-11.11), respectively.

These findings indicate that there is a similar trend of dietary factors and risk of colorectal cancer in rural areas in comparison with westem dietary pattern, and suggest that the special attention should be paid to dietary habit for prevention and control of colorectal cancer in Chinese rural area.