Salted meat consumption as a risk factor for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx: a case-control study from Uruguay

A hospital-based, case-control study of oropharyngeal cancer was conducted in the Oncology Institute, Montevideo, Uruguay, during 1988-1992, in which 246 new cases and 253 controls were interviewed. The study was restricted to males. As in most previous studies, tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking were the major risk factors. Past and current salted meat consumption was associated with increased risks of oropharyngeal cancer after controlling for the effects of tobacco and alcohol; current consumption was associated with a significant increase in risk (odds ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.2). Current heavy consumption of salted meat was associated with a significant 4.7% increased risk of oropharyngeal cancer after adjusting for tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking. These findings suggest that current consumption of salted meat is more relevant to the etiology of this set of neoplasms than past consumption. Furthermore, the joint effect of pack-years of cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and ever consumption of salted meat was associated with a high risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer (odds ratio, 10.0; 95% confidence interval, 4.7-21.3) using the referent category of moderate smokers, moderate drinkers, and never users of salted meat.