Barrett D, et al. - In this population-based case-control study, researchers focused on the risk of developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in relation to Chinese-style hard and soft salted fish and preserved food intakes. This study was conducted in southern China and included 2,554 NPC cases and healthy controls (n=2,648), frequency-matched on age, sex, and area. The investigators classified food intake into 3–5 energy-adjusted intake levels during adulthood (10 years prior) and adolescence (16–18 years). Findings revealed different risk profiles for hard and soft salted fish. There was no link between NPC and consumption of hard Chinese-style salted fish during adulthood, but the highest level of intake during adolescence was found to be related to an increased risk. In contrast, a decreased risk was noted in relation to the middle consumption level of soft salted fish during adulthood and adolescence. For NPC, salted fish and other preserved foods were, at most, weak risk factors in all periods and could have a smaller role to play in NPC occurrence when compared with previous reports.