McClain KM, et al. - Using data from the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Study, researchers explored if fish/shellfish intake has any correlation with risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). A 20% lower odds of SCCHN was seen in patients whose fish/shellfish intake was among the highest tertile vs those in the lowest tertile following adjustment for the matching and other factors (income, energy intake, fruit intake, cigarette smoking, and alcohol intake). For oral cavity and oropharyngeal tumors, for African Americans, and for females, the inverse correlation was more notable but with wide confidence intervals (CIs).

Methods

• The Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Study was a population-based case–control study; it was conducted in 46 North Carolina counties with cases recruited from 2002 through 2006.
• In terms of age, sex, and race, controls were frequency matched to the cases; the final sample comprised 1,039 cases and 1,375 controls.
• An in-person interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic, lifestyle, and dietary information.
• Estimation of multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs was done with unconditional logistic regression.

Results

• Researchers observed a 20% lower odds of SCCHN among patients whose fish/shellfish intake was among the highest tertile compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.60–1.07) after adjustment for the matching and other factors (income, energy intake, fruit intake, cigarette smoking, and alcohol intake).