NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA IN MALAYSIAN CHINESE - SALTED FISH AND OTHERDIETARY EXPOSURES

We interviewed 282 histologically confirmed cases of nasopharyngeal ca rcinoma (NPC) in Chinese residents of Selangor and the Federal Territo ry, Malaysia, and an equal number of Chinese age-, sex-, and length-of -residence-matched controls sampled from the general population. Consu mption of 55 dietary items during childhood, and 5 years pre diagnosis of NPC, was analyzed by univariate and multivariate methods. Four sal ted preserved foods (fish, leafy vegetables, egg and root), fresh pork /beef organ meats and beer and liquor consumption exhibited strong pos itive associations, and 4 vegetable/fruit combinations strong negative associations with NPC. Factor analysis and multivariable modeling usi ng estimated factor scores strongly supported separate effects on NPC of vegetables/fruits, salted preserved foods, pork/ beef organ meats a nd beer/liquor consumption. Multivariable modeling associated NPC most clearly with high consumption of salted fish, salted eggs, pork/beef liver and beer and low consumption of Chinese flowering cabbage, orang es/tangerines and shrimp. A strong residual association of social clas s with NPC remained after adjustment for diet, which is consistent wit h a substantial role for non-dietary environmental factors. (C) 1998 W iley-Liss, Inc.