Salivary gland cancer: an exploratory analysis of dietary factors

This study was an exploratory analysis of dietary and other risk factors for primary salivary gland cancer in a population-based case-control study in Ontario, Canada. Cases were men and women diagnosed between 1995 and 1996 with a first primary cancer of the salivary gland, identified through the Ontario Cancer Registry. Controls were an age-matched random sample of the population of Ontario, identified through property assessment files. Cases (n = 91) and controls (n = 1897) completed a self-administered questionnaire with information on diet, smoking, height and weight, and other lifestyle and socio-demographic factors. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among dietary variables, high relative to low intakes of alcohol (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.68-2.35), fruits (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.68-2.33), sweets (OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 0.85-3.25), dairy (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 0.77-2.58), and starchy foods (OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 0.96-3.3) were associated with non-statistically significant increased risk of salivary gland cancer; whereas vegetables and meats were linked with non-statistically significant decreased risks of the disease. Among non-diet factors, male sex, obese BMI, exposure to occupational radiation, family history of cancer, and household income were suggestive of increased disease risk. Future work with larger numbers of cases are needed to further explore these associations.