Abstract 677: Fish intake and lung cancer risk among Singapore Chinese
Authors: Butler Lesley M. , Montague Julia A. , Koh Woon-Puay , Wang Renwei , Yu Mimi C. , Yuan Jian-Min 
Published: August 2012

ACKGROUND Recent prospective data from US and European populations was published showing no association between fish intake and lung cancer risk. High temperature cooking of meat, including fish, increases exposure to air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Recently, we reported that nonsmoking Chinese women who cooked daily had statistically significant 3.7- to 21.6-fold greater risk of having urinary VOC metabolite levels in the third versus the first tertile, than a random sample of women (Hecht, et al., CEBP 2010). Exposure to these air pollutants may increase risk of certain histologic subtypes of lung cancer. METHODS We investigated the relationship between fish intake and risk of lung cancer in the well-established prospective population-based Singapore Chinese Health Study. Dietary consumption data were collected at baseline using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Lung cancer cases (n=1130) were identified from 61,321 men and women followed for an average of 11.5 years. Histology information was available for 87% of cases. Analyses were conducted separately for adenocarcinomas (n=419 cases) and combined squamous cell and small cell carcinomas (n=337 cases). Proportional hazards regression methods were used to assess the associations between dietary factors and lung cancer risk. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adjusted for age, total caloric intake, education level, smoking (years smoked, number of cigarettes smoked per day and years since quitting smoking among former smokers), and other potential confounders. RESULTS Higher fish intake was positively associated with adenocarcinoma risk (HR=1.47; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.99, for fourth versus first quartile of intake). The association became stronger with greater fish intake (p for trend = 0.02), and when analyses were restricted to lifetime never smokers (HR=1.78; 95% CI:1.10, 2.87, for fourth versus first quartile of intake). The positive association between fish intake and risk of adenocarcinoma remained, but lost statistical significance after excluding cases diagnosed within the first two years of follow-up (HR=1.37; 95% CI:0.98, 1.90). Adenocarcinoma risk associated with fish intake was evaluated by cooking method. Positive associations were observed for greater intake of deep fried fish (HR=1.31; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.70) and pan fried fish (HR=1.34; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.77), but no association was observed for intake of steamed fish. Fish intake was not associated with squamous/small cell carcinoma risk, regardless of smoking history. CONCULSIONS We observed that fried fish intake was a risk factor specific for adenocarcinoma of the lung, among lifetime never smokers. Stir-frying cooking at a high temperature is the primary mode of food preparation in our study population. Our results for fish intake by cooking method support the notion that cooking fumes from stir-frying fish increase risk of adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 677. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-677