DIETARY FACTORS AND STOMACH-CANCER - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN KOREA

Background. Stomach cancer is the most common cancer among Koreans. Th ere is wide agreement that dietary factors are important in gastric ca rcinogenesis, but the role of many Korean food items remains unknown. Methods. A case-control investigation involving 213 incident cases of histologically confirmed stomach cancer and an equal number of control s, matched by age (within 2 years) and sex, was conducted from June 19 90 to October 1991. Results. An increased risk of stomach cancer was n oted among those with high consumption of stewed foods such as soybean paste stew and hot pepper-soybean stew, broiled fish, and those who l iked salty food. However, mung bean pancake, tofu (soybean curd), cabb age, spinach, and sesame oil decreased the risk of stomach cancer. Str atified analysis by salt in combined foods, such as stewed foods and p ickled vegetables, disclosed salt as being an important risk factor. A nalysis of cooking methods showed that broiling and salting increased the risk of stomach cancer, but that frying tended to decrease the ris k. These results suggest that the cooking method might modify the gast ric carcinogenicity of foods. As non-dietary factors, smoking and a fa mily history of stomach cancer increased the risk, but use of a refrig erator decreased the risk of cancer. Conclusions. Heavy salt consumpti on and cooking methods like broiling and salting seem to play a major role in gastric carcinogenesis among Koreans.