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Cancer Causes & Control

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Open Access 01-08-2009 | Original Paper

Sweets, sweetened beverages, and risk of pancreatic cancer in a large population-based case–control study

Authors: June M. Chan, Furong Wang, Elizabeth A. Holly

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 6/2009

Abstract

Objective

We examined the associations between sweets, sweetened and unsweetened beverages, and sugars and pancreatic cancer risk.

Methods

We conducted a population-based case–control study (532 cases, 1,701 controls) and used multivariate logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Because associations were often different by sex, we present results for men and women combined and separately.

Results

Among men, greater intakes of total and specific sweets were associated with pancreatic cancer risk (total sweets: OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0, 3.6; sweet condiments: OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.1; chocolate candy: OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.0; other mixed candy bars: OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.5, 7.3 for 1 + servings/day versus none/rarely). Sweets were not consistently associated with risk among women. Sweetened beverages were not associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk. In contrast, low-calorie soft drinks were associated with increased risk among men only; while other low-/non-caloric beverages (e.g., coffee, tea, and water) were unassociated with risk. Of the three sugars assessed (lactose, fructose, and sucrose), only the milk sugar lactose was associated with pancreatic cancer risk (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5, 2.7 comparing extreme quartiles).

Conclusion

These results provide limited support for the hypothesis that sweets or sugars increase pancreatic cancer risk.

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Title: Sweets, sweetened beverages, and risk of pancreatic cancer in a large population-based case–control study
Authors: June M. Chan
Furong Wang
Elizabeth A. Holly
Publication date: 01-08-2009
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 6/2009
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9323-1

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