Association between cured meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer in people with different dietary habits and lifestyles

Objective To explore the association between the intakes of cured meat and the risk of colorectal cancer, and analyze the role of the interaction between cured meat intake and dietary habit or lifestyle for the risk of colorectal cancer. Methods A well-designed questionnaire were used to collect retrospective information about demography, lifestyle and dietary habit from 400 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 400 controls matched by age and gender. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the possible association between the intake of cured meat and the risk of colorectal cancer. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction(GMDR)was used to analyze the interaction between cured meat intake and other dietary habits or lifestyle factors. Results Data from conditional logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the people who had <8 times per year of cured meat intake, those had 8-23 times of cured meat intakes(OR=3.480, 95%CI: 2.022-5.991, P<0.001), 24-47 times of cured meat intakes(OR=4.526, 95%CI: 2.553-8.025, P<0.001), ≥48 times of cured meat intakes(OR=5.472, 95% CI: 3.105-9.642, P<0.001)had increased risk of colorectal cancer. There was a multiplied interaction between cured meat intake and pepper intake(OR=0.379, 95% CI: 0.190-0.758, P=0.009). The synergistic effect existed between cured meat intake and pickled vegetable intake; and the antagonism existed between cured meat intake and tea-drinking habit. GMDR analysis showed that interaction among red meat intake, pickled vegetable and cured meat intake on the risk of colorectal cancer might exist(P=0.001). Conclusions With the increase of frequency of cured meat intake, the risk of colorectal cancer increased gradually. The synergistic effect might existed between pickled vegetable intake and cured meat intake. Tea-drinking, pepper intake and cured meat intake might be antagonism in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Red meat intake, pickled vegetable intake and cured meat intake might have combined effect to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Key words: Colorectal cancer; Cured meat; Risk factor; Interaction