Nutrient patterns and risk of lung cancer: a factor analysis in Uruguayan men

In the time period 1996-2004, a case-control study on environmental factor risks and lung cancer was conducted in Montevideo, Uruguay. The study included 846 cases and 846 controls and was restricted to men. Forty nutrients and bioactive substances were submitted to exploratory (principal components) factor analysis. We retained three factors which were labeled as high-meat, antioxidants and carbohydrates. After that, score patterns (obtained from the retained factors) were correlated with sociodemographic variables, tobacco use, alcohol drinking and food groups. Finally, scored patterns were used as explanatory variables through multiple logistic regression analysis. The so-called antioxidants pattern was inversely associated with lung cancer risk (OR 0.69, 0.51-0.96) whereas the high-meat pattern was associated with a strong increase in risk (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.91-4.40). The carbohydrates pattern was not associated with risk of lung cancer. Although nutrients could be important determinants in the etiology of lung cancer, stop smoking continue to be the major preventive measure for this disease.