DIET, OBESITY AND RISK FOR RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA - RESULTS FROM A CASECONTROL-STUDY IN GERMANY

Increasing incidence of renal cell carcinoma in Western countries rais es particular attention to its etiology. Diet may be related to risk f or renal cell carcinoma since obesity has been linked with this malign ant condition. A case-control study with 277 incident renal cell cance r patients (ICD 189.0) and 286 population controls was conducted in th e Rhein-Neckar-Odenwald area, Germany, in the period of 1989 to 1991. The core study protocol included a face-to-face interview about demogr aphical parameters, previous diseases, medication, tobacco smoking, oc cupational history, occupational exposures, beverage consumption, and obesity. In addition, study participants were asked to fill in a self- administered food frequency questionnaire with 122 food items to estim ate overall food intake. Fifty-six % of the cases and 74 % of the cont rols participated in this part of the study (n = 155 cases and 212 con trols). This was 47 % of the original cases (n = 328) and 56 % of the controls (n = 381). No selection bias could be identified with regard to age group, gender, educational status or recent BMI in the analyzed group compared with the eligible cases and controls. Relative risk (R R) estimates for tertiles of consumption revealed a significantly incr eased risk with increasing intake of fat spread (RR of high intake com pared to low intake: 1.90 (95 % CI 1.05-3.32)). Increased risk was als o found for intake of meat and meat products (RR of high intake compar ed to low intake: 1.71 (95 % CI 0.96-3.01)) and energy adjusted fat (R R of high intake compared to low intake: 1.64 (95 % CI 0.95-2.83)). A decreased risk was seen with increasing intake of fruit (RR of high in take compared to low intake: 0.40 (95 % CI 0.23-0.69)) and of vitamin C (RR of high intake compared to low intake: 0.62 (95 % CI 0.37-1.05)) . Beverage consumption, preparation of food and eating pattern were no t linked with risk of renal cell cancer. The relative risk estimates o f spreading fat (sauce and vitamin C intake were tested in two models, with and without including BMI as covariate. In both models significa nt associations of these nutritional variables with risk for renal cel l cancer remained.The current results indicate that specific food patt ern associated with obesity explain differences in incidence of renal cell carcinoma in industrialized countries.