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Body mass index, body mass change, and risk of oral cavity cancer: results of a large population-based case–control study, the ICARE study

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Abstract

Objective

The association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of oral cavity cancer, suggested by the few available studies, is controversial because of weight loss preceding cancer diagnosis and possible confounding by tobacco and alcohol consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate in France, a high-incidence country, the association between the risk of oral cavity cancer and body mass index at interview, 2 years before the interview and at age 30, as well as BMI change.

Methods

We used data from a population-based case–control study, the Investigation of occupational and environmental CAuses of REspiratory cancers study, with personal interviews and standardized questionnaires including 689 cases of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and 3,481 controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression and were adjusted for gender, age, area of residence, education, tobacco smoking, and alcohol drinking.

Results

ORs were increased in underweight subjects at interview (OR 6.25, 95 % CI 3.74–10.45). No association with underweight 2 years before the interview and at age 30 was found. Overweight and obesity at interview, 2 years before the interview and at age 30 were associated with decreased ORs (ranging from 0.13 to 0.60). BMI gain greater than 5 % between age 30 and 2 years before the interview was inversely associated with oral cavity cancer (OR 0.42, 95 % CI 0.33–0.54). These associations were stronger in men, and in smokers and drinkers.

Conclusion

These results add further support to the existence of a reduced risk of oral cavity cancer among overweight and obese people or among people who increased their BMI in adulthood. The underlying mechanisms remain to be clarified.

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Acknowledgments

ICARE study was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR), the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), the French Institute for Public Health Survey (InVS), the Foundation for Medical Research (FRM), the Foundation of France, the Agency for Research on Cancer (ARC), the French Ministry of Work, Solidarity and Public Function (Direction Générale du Travail), and the Ministry of Health (Direction Générale de la Santé). L. Radoï was supported by the French National Cancer Institute (InCA), Grant No. 2009-349 for this work.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inserm U1018, Epidemiology of Occupational and Social Determinants of Health, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, 16 Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94807, Villejuif Cedex, France

    Loredana Radoï, Sophie Paget-Bailly, Diane Cyr, Gwenn Menvielle, Annie Schmaus, Matthieu Carton & Danièle Luce

  2. Versailles Saint-Quentin University, UMRS 1018, Villejuif, France

    Loredana Radoï, Sophie Paget-Bailly, Diane Cyr, Gwenn Menvielle, Annie Schmaus & Matthieu Carton

  3. Inserm U1018, Environmental Epidemiology of Cancer, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Villejuif, France

    Alexandra Papadopoulos, Florence Guida, Chloé Tarnaud, Sylvie Cénée & Isabelle Stücker

  4. Paris-Sud University, UMRS 1018, Villejuif, France

    Alexandra Papadopoulos, Florence Guida, Chloé Tarnaud, Sylvie Cénée & Isabelle Stücker

  5. Somme Cancer Registry, Amiens, France

    Bénédicte Lapôtre-Ledoux

  6. Isère Cancer Registry, Grenoble, France

    Patricia Delafosse

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  1. Loredana Radoï
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  2. Sophie Paget-Bailly
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  14. Danièle Luce
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Correspondence to Danièle Luce.

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Radoï, L., Paget-Bailly, S., Cyr, D. et al. Body mass index, body mass change, and risk of oral cavity cancer: results of a large population-based case–control study, the ICARE study. Cancer Causes Control 24, 1437–1448 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0223-z

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