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Meat Consumption Is Associated with Esophageal Cancer Risk in a Meat- and Cancer-Histological-Type Dependent Manner

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Abstract

Background

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of meat intake and esophageal cancer risk, with subgroup analyses based on meat type and histological type of cancer.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between meat intake and risk of esophageal cancer.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library (April 2013) for cohort and case–control studies that assessed meat intake and esophageal cancer risk. Random-effect or fixed-effect models were used to pool relative risks (RRs) from individual studies with heterogeneity and publication bias analyses carried out. Seven cohort and 28 case–control studies were included.

Results

The summary RRs for esophageal cancer for the highest versus lowest consumption categories were 1.19 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.98–1.46) for total meat, 1.55 (95 % CI 1.22–1.96) for red meat, 1.33 (95 % CI 1.04–1.69) for processed meat, 0.72 (95 % CI 0.60–0.86) for white meat, 0.83 (95 % CI 0.72–0.96) for poultry, and 0.95 (95 % CI 0.76–1.19) for fish. When striated by histological subtype, positive associations were seen among esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and red meat, white meat and poultry, and esophageal adenocarcinoma with total meat and processed meat.

Conclusions

Meat consumption is associated with esophageal cancer risk, which depends on meat type and histological type of esophageal cancer. High intake of red meat and low intake of poultry are associated with an increased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. High meat intake, especially processed meat, is likely to increase esophageal adenocarcinoma risk. And fish consumption may not be associated with incidence of esophageal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81272504), Innovation Team [No. LJ201123 (EH11)], Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Projects [BK2011854 (DA11)], research grants from the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology [T-H2010-033 (KA10)], the introduction of talent of Jiangsu Province Hospital [NA11(2011)], A Project Funded by the Prority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) (JX10231801), and grants from Key Academic Discipline of Jiangsu Province “Medical Aspects of Specific Environments”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Guangzhou Road 300, Nanjing, 210029, China

    Hong-Cheng Zhu, Xi Yang, Li-Ping Xu, Chi Zhang, Qin Qin & Xin-Chen Sun

  2. The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital and Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Lian-Jun Zhao

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Huai’an First People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, 223300, China

    Guang-Zhou Tao

  4. Tumor Institute, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Nantong, 226361, China

    Jing Cai

  5. Second People’s Hospital of Lianyungang, Lianyungang, 222006, China

    Jian-Xin Ma

  6. Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University Medical College, Wuxi, 214400, China

    Wei-Dong Mao

  7. Department of Medical Oncology, Subei People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, China

    Xi-Zhi Zhang

  8. Department of Synthetic Internal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Guangzhou Road 300, Nanjing, 210029, China

    Hong-Yan Cheng

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  1. Hong-Cheng Zhu
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  2. Xi Yang
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  6. Chi Zhang
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  7. Qin Qin
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  8. Jing Cai
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  9. Jian-Xin Ma
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  10. Wei-Dong Mao
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  11. Xi-Zhi Zhang
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  12. Hong-Yan Cheng
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  13. Xin-Chen Sun
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Correspondence to Hong-Yan Cheng or Xin-Chen Sun.

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Hong-Cheng Zhu and Xi Yang contributed equally to this work.

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Zhu, HC., Yang, X., Xu, LP. et al. Meat Consumption Is Associated with Esophageal Cancer Risk in a Meat- and Cancer-Histological-Type Dependent Manner. Dig Dis Sci 59, 664–673 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-2928-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-2928-y

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