Dietary risk factors for kidney cancer in Eastern and Central Europe

The authors examined the role of diet in the high-risk population of Central Europe among 1,065 incident kidney cancer cases and 1,509 controls in Russia, Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. They observed an increased association with kidney cancer for consumption of milk (odds ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15, 1.84) and yogurt (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.67), as well as all meat (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.51 compared with the lowest tertile). High consumption of all vegetables (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.80) and cruciferous vegetables (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.55, 0.84) was inversely associated with kidney cancer. In addition, high consumption of preserved vegetables increased the risk of kidney cancer (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.24, 2.21). Alcohol consumption did not appear to be associated with kidney cancer. This 1999-2003 study provides further evidence that diet may play a role in the development of kidney cancer, with a particularly strong protective association for high vegetable intake. The increased risk associated with dairy products, preserved vegetables, and red meat provides clues to the high rates of kidney cancer in this population.