DIETARY SUGAR INTAKE IN THE ETIOLOGY OF BILIARY-TRACT CANCER

Although gallstones and obesity are important risk factors for biliary tract cancer, the relation between diet and this type of cancer has n ot been studied in detail. Between 1984 and 1988 we conducted a case-c ontrol study of 111 cases of biliary tract cancer and 480 controls fro m the general population. Food intake was assessed by means of a semiq uantitative food frequency questionnaire. Estimates of the total energ y intake and the intake of macronutrients were obtained from the patie nts and controls themselves (direct respondents) or from relatives (in direct respondents). The major finding is that the risk associated wit h the intake of sugars (i.e. the combined intake of monosaccharides an d disaccharides), independent of other sources of energy, is more than doubled for indirect respondents and for both respondent groups combi ned. A biological explanation for the fact that the intake of sugars m ay be a risk factor for biliary tract cancer might be based on the rel ationships between sugar, blood lipids and gallstone formation.