Adolescent and mid‐life diet and subsequent risk of thyroid cancer in the NIH‐AARP diet and health study

Abstract

Although thyroid cancer is suspected to have a nutritional etiology, prospective studies examining the relationship between diet and thyroid cancer are lacking. During 1996–1997, NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study participants, ages 51–72 years, completed a 37-item food frequency questionnaire about diet at ages 12–13 years (adolescence) and 10 years before baseline (mid-life). Over a median 10 years of follow-up, 325 individuals (143 men and 182 women) were diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for intakes of foods and food groups comparing the highest to the lowest quartiles. Adolescent intakes of chicken/turkey (HR=1.59, 95% CI: 0.97–2.60; Ptrend<0.01) and sweet baked goods (HR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.09–2.34; Ptrend =0.04) were positively associated with thyroid cancer risk, while intake of butter/margarine was inversely associated with risk (HR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.44–0.91; Ptrend<0.02). Similar to adolescent diet, mid-life intake of sweet baked goods was non-significantly associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer (HR=1.39, 95% CI: 0.96–2.00; Ptrend =0.11), but intake of butter/margarine was inversely associated with risk (HR=0.66, 95% CI: 0.46–0.95; Ptrend=0.03). Among men, higher adolescent consumption of canned tuna was positively associated with risk of thyroid cancer (HR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.01–2.83; Ptrend=0.03), and greater mid-life intake of broccoli was associated with a twofold increased risk (HR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.13–3.99; Ptrend <0.01). This large prospective study suggests that several components of the adolescent and mid-life diet, including iodine-rich foods and goitrogens, may influence thyroid cancer risk.

Consumption of fruits, vegetables and fruit juices and differentiated thyroid carcinoma risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study

“…A meta‐analysis of 19 case‐control studies and a pooled‐analysis of 11 case‐control studies summarized the associations between vegetable intake and TC risk, showing a weak inverse association with the intake of total vegetables and vegetables excluding cruciferous vegetables. An American cohort study of 300,000 participants (the NIH‐AARP diet and health study) showed an impact of adolescent (12–13 years old) and midlife diet (10 years before recruitment when respondents were 41–62 years of age) on TC risk, with a significant inverse association of vegetable intake among women . Although intakes of vegetables consumed by both Americans at midlife and our study population were comparable, we did not find any association between the intake of vegetables and the risk of differentiated TC either overall or by subtype.…”

“…Zamora-Ros et al Cancer Epidemiology respondents were 41-62 years of age) on TC risk, with a significant inverse association of vegetable intake among women. 27 Although intakes of vegetables consumed by both Americans at midlife and our study population were comparable, we did not find any association between the intake of vegetables and the risk of differentiated TC either overall or by subtype.…”

“…However, in the most recent meta‐analysis, a positive association was pointed out, after excluding studies evaluating only one type of cruciferous vegetables and hospital‐based case‐control studies . The NIH‐AARP diet and health study also showed a positive association with the intake of broccoli during midlife in men, however no other cruciferous vegetables were considered in the dietary questionnaire . Overall, no association between the intake of vegetables and cruciferous vegetables and TC was observed in the last 5–10 years before diagnosis ( i.e ., middle and late adulthood), although potential relationships in earlier life stages, such as adolescence and young adulthood, could not be ruled out according to the results from the NHI‐AARP study.…”

“…16 The NIH-AARP diet and health study also showed a positive association with the intake of broccoli during midlife in men, however no other cruciferous vegetables were considered in the dietary questionnaire. 27 Overall, no association between the intake of vegetables and cruciferous vegetables and TC was observed in the last 5-10 years before diagnosis (i.e., middle and late adulthood), although potential relationships in earlier life stages, such as adolescence and young adulthood, could not be ruled out according to the results from the NHI-AARP study. Those results suggest that a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables during early adulthood could have an impact in the early development of TC, but not during the 5-10 years prior to TC diagnosis, which is the mean time of follow-up of TC cases in our study.…”

A Cohort Study of Adolescent and Midlife Diet and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study

“…Korde et al (30) further found that soy consumption in childhood, and all through life, was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Diet during adolescence and midlife may be associated with risks of thyroid (31) and colorectal (27) cancer, with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer appearing to be associated with childhood milk consumption (23,32). Despite the evidence suggesting that early-life diet may influence risk of cancer later in life, to our knowledge there are no studies that have examined early-life diet in relation to pancreatic cancer.…”