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Haem iron intake and risk of lung cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

Ward, Heather A. ; Whitman, Julia ; Muller, David C. ; Johansson, Mattias ; Jakszyn, Paula ; Weiderpass, Elisabete ; Palli, Domenico ; Fanidi, Anouar ; Vermeulen, Roel and Tjønneland, Anne , et al. (2019) In European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 8(73). p.1122-1132
Abstract

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that haem iron, which is found predominantly in red meat and increases endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds, may be positively associated with lung cancer. The objective was to examine the relationship between haem iron intake and lung cancer risk using detailed smoking history data and serum cotinine to control for potential confounding. Methods: In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 416,746 individuals from 10 countries completed demographic and dietary questionnaires at recruitment. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident lung cancer (n = 3731) risk... (More)

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that haem iron, which is found predominantly in red meat and increases endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds, may be positively associated with lung cancer. The objective was to examine the relationship between haem iron intake and lung cancer risk using detailed smoking history data and serum cotinine to control for potential confounding. Methods: In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 416,746 individuals from 10 countries completed demographic and dietary questionnaires at recruitment. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident lung cancer (n = 3731) risk relative to haem iron, non-haem iron, and total dietary iron intake. A corresponding analysis was conducted among a nested subset of 800 lung cancer cases and 1489 matched controls for whom serum cotinine was available. Results: Haem iron was associated with lung cancer risk, including after adjustment for details of smoking history (time since quitting, number of cigarettes per day): as a continuous variable (HR per 0.3 mg/1000 kcal 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.07), and in the highest versus lowest quintile (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02–1.32; trend across quintiles: P = 0.035). In contrast, non-haem iron intake was related inversely with lung cancer risk; however, this association attenuated after adjustment for smoking history. Additional adjustment for serum cotinine did not considerably alter the associations detected in the nested case–control subset. Conclusions: Greater haem iron intake may be modestly associated with lung cancer risk.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
volume
8
issue
73
pages
1122 - 1132
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85055252045
  • pmid:30337714
ISSN
0954-3007
DOI
10.1038/s41430-018-0271-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
464e9036-09d2-4a17-84c2-4c1ca9314bfe
date added to LUP
2018-11-26 09:40:04
date last changed
2024-04-15 17:26:26
@article{464e9036-09d2-4a17-84c2-4c1ca9314bfe,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that haem iron, which is found predominantly in red meat and increases endogenous formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds, may be positively associated with lung cancer. The objective was to examine the relationship between haem iron intake and lung cancer risk using detailed smoking history data and serum cotinine to control for potential confounding. Methods: In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 416,746 individuals from 10 countries completed demographic and dietary questionnaires at recruitment. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident lung cancer (n = 3731) risk relative to haem iron, non-haem iron, and total dietary iron intake. A corresponding analysis was conducted among a nested subset of 800 lung cancer cases and 1489 matched controls for whom serum cotinine was available. Results: Haem iron was associated with lung cancer risk, including after adjustment for details of smoking history (time since quitting, number of cigarettes per day): as a continuous variable (HR per 0.3 mg/1000 kcal 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.07), and in the highest versus lowest quintile (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02–1.32; trend across quintiles: P = 0.035). In contrast, non-haem iron intake was related inversely with lung cancer risk; however, this association attenuated after adjustment for smoking history. Additional adjustment for serum cotinine did not considerably alter the associations detected in the nested case–control subset. Conclusions: Greater haem iron intake may be modestly associated with lung cancer risk.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ward, Heather A. and Whitman, Julia and Muller, David C. and Johansson, Mattias and Jakszyn, Paula and Weiderpass, Elisabete and Palli, Domenico and Fanidi, Anouar and Vermeulen, Roel and Tjønneland, Anne and Hansen, Louise and Dahm, Christina C. and Overvad, Kim and Severi, Gianluca and Boutron-Ruault, Marie Christine and Affret, Aurélie and Kaaks, Rudolf and Fortner, Renee and Boeing, Heiner and Trichopoulou, Antonia and La Vecchia, Carlo and Kotanidou, Anastasia and Berrino, Franco and Krogh, Vittorio and Tumino, Rosario and Ricceri, Fulvio and Panico, Salvatore and Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas and Peeters, Petra H. and Nøst, Therese Haugdahl and Sandanger, Torkjel M. and Quirós, Jose Ramón and Agudo, Antonio and Rodríguez-Barranco, Miguel and Larrañaga, Nerea and Huerta, Jose Maria and Ardanaz, Eva and Drake, Isabel and Brunnström, Hans and Johansson, Mikael and Grankvist, Kjell and Travis, Ruth C. and Freisling, Heinz and Stepien, Magdalena and Merritt, Melissa A. and Riboli, Elio and Cross, Amanda J.}},
  issn         = {{0954-3007}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{73}},
  pages        = {{1122--1132}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Clinical Nutrition}},
  title        = {{Haem iron intake and risk of lung cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0271-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41430-018-0271-2}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}