Publication Date:
2015-06-18
Description:
Background: Associations between anthropometry and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk are inconsistent. We aimed to evaluate these associations while minimizing biases found in previous studies. Methods: We pooled data from 1 941 300 participants, including 3760 cases, in 20 cohort studies and used multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of anthropometric measures with HNC risk overall and stratified by smoking status. Results: Greater waist circumference (per 5 cm: HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.03–1.05, P -value for trend = 〈0.0001) and waist-to-hip ratio (per 0.1 unit: HR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.05–1.09, P -value for trend = 〈0.0001), adjusted for body mass index (BMI), were associated with higher risk and did not vary by smoking status ( P -value for heterogeneity = 0.85 and 0.44, respectively). Associations with BMI ( P -value for interaction = 〈0.0001) varied by smoking status. Larger BMI was associated with higher HNC risk in never smokers (per 5 kg/m 2 : HR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.06–1.24, P -value for trend = 0.0006), but not in former smokers (per 5 kg/m 2 : HR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.93–1.06, P -value for trend = 0.79) or current smokers (per 5 kg/m 2 : HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.71–0.82, P -value for trend = 〈0.0001). Larger hip circumference was not associated with a higher HNC risk. Greater height (per 5 cm) was associated with higher risk of HNC in never and former smokers, but not in current smokers. Conclusions: Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were associated positively with HNC risk regardless of smoking status, whereas a positive association with BMI was only found in never smokers.
Print ISSN:
0300-5771
Electronic ISSN:
1464-3685
Topics:
Medicine
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