Salted fish and processed foods intake and nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to analyze whether the consumption of salted fish and processed foods increases the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by analyzing the relevant case-control or cohort design.

Methods: Major databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched to conduct related studies. In addition, Newcastle-Ottawa scale was employed for assessing the quality of articles. Random-effect model was utilized for meta-analysis. Total relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated.

Results: Dose response showed a consistent linear relationship between the intake of salted fish and processed foods and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In salted fish, the summary RR was 1.23 (1.04-1.47) for low intake and 1.45 (1.19-1.76) for high intake. For processed meat, low intake was 1.33 (1.09-1.62) and high intake was 1.65 (1.35-2.02). Low intake of processed vegetables was 1.28 (1.05-1.55) and high intake was 1.45 (1.17 -1.79) for high intake. Significant heterogeneity existed in all data but decreased in some subgroups after subgroup analysis.

Conclusion: Salted fish and processed foods are risk factors for increasing nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but they have different risk characteristics due to different intakes, different stages, and different types.

Keywords: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Processed foods; Risk; Salted fish.