TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, DIET AND RISK OF NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN URUGUAY

To test whether high meat intake is associated with the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the Uruguayan population, a case-contro l study was performed at the Institute Nacional de Oncologia, Montevid eo, Uruguay. After controlling for age, sex, residence, education, urb an/rural status and the habit of drinking the beverage 'mate', red mea t intake was associated with an increased risk of NHL of 2.5. This fin ding was similar in both sexes separately. Odds ratios (OR) for the hi ghest tertile of barbecued meat was 1.7 among men, whereas salted meat was associated with an increased risk of NHL (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.4-17.7 ). The effect of processed and salted meat among women was of much les s magnitude and the OR's were non-significant. Also, cumulative exposu re to 'mate' drinking displayed an OR of 2.4 (95% CI 1.0-5.6). Smokers of black tobacco and hand-rolled cigarettes were associated with an i ncreased risk of 3.5 (95% 1.1-10.9), whereas beer drinkers showed an i ncreased OR of 5.5 (95% 1.1-26.7) in men. It could be concluded that r ed or salted meat intake, smoking of black tobacco, and beer and 'mate ' drinking are risk factors for NHL in the Uruguayan population. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.