Assessment of dietary pattern and serum levels of vitamins A, C, and E in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC): A case-control study

Abstract

Background: The importance of dietary pattern and vitamins in the incidence of cancers has been demonstrated in many studies. As there are cultural differences and various dietary patterns in different countries, the results of other studies are not necessarily applicable to our society. This study aimed to evaluate the role of some vitamins and dietary patterns in developing head and neck cancer. Methods: Dietary pattern and serum levels of vitamins in 39 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were compared to 37 healthy individuals. A native questionnaire was used to obtain the dietary pattern. The existence of a significant relationship between serum levels of vitamins and dietary pattern with the risk of HNSCC was assessed. The independent t test, chi-square and exact Fisher’s test were employed for statistical analysis. Results: The mean serum levels of these vitamins in the case group were significantly lower as compared to the control subjects (P<0.005). Two dominant eating patterns were identified, and after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, education, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and place of residence, it was found that people with unhealthy dietary patterns were 6.55 times more likely to develop cancer than people with a healthy diet. Conclusion: Lower serum levels of vitamins C and E are associated with an increased risk of HNSCC. Unhealthy dietary patterns also increase the risk of developing this cancer.