Food intake and risk of cutaneous melanoma in an Italian population

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008 Nov;62(11):1351-4. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602850. Epub 2007 Jul 25.

Abstract

We investigated the association of melanoma risk with food consumption in a northern Italian population in which disease risk was shown to correlate with linoleic acid and soluble carbohydrates intake. We collected information regarding the habitual consumption of 188 food items in 59 patients with newly diagnosed cutaneous melanoma and 59 sex- and age-matched population controls. In the unadjusted analyses, the intake of several foodstuffs directly or inversely correlated with melanoma risk. In multivariate analysis adjusting for several potential confounders, risk correlated directly with vegetable oil intake and inversely with consumption of crispbreads and rusks. Overall, most of the food items rich in linoleic acid and soluble carbohydrates were unrelated to disease risk. Despite the limited statistical precision of the point estimates, these findings seem to indicate that consumption of specific foods may influence melanoma risk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diet*
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / administration & dosage
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Linoleic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Male
  • Melanoma / epidemiology*
  • Melanoma / etiology
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Plant Oils / administration & dosage
  • Risk Factors
  • Skin Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / etiology

Substances

  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Plant Oils
  • Linoleic Acid