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Cancer Causes & Control
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control 1/2015

01-01-2015 | Original paper

Obesity and head and neck cancer risk and survival by human papillomavirus serology

Authors: Xinmiao Tan, Heather H. Nelson, Scott M. Langevin, Michael McClean, Carmen J. Marsit, Tim Waterboer, Michael Pawlita, Karl T. Kelsey, Dominique S. Michaud

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous studies examining the association of body mass index (BMI) with risk of and survival from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have been inconsistent, although an inverse association has been noted for obesity and risk of HNSCC in several studies. Previous studies have not examined whether these associations differ by human papillomavirus (HPV) status.

Methods

We utilized the resources of a population-based case–control study of HNSCC from the greater Boston area (959 cases and 1,208 controls were eligible for this analysis). Anthropometric history was collected through personal interviews, and HPV status was assessed using serology. We analyzed the association between BMI (assessed 5 years prior to disease incidence) and disease risk and survival using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression, respectively.

Results

After adjusting for known risk factors, the association between obesity and overall risk of HNSCC was not significant (OR 0.79, 95 % CI 0.60–1.04). However, obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) was inversely associated with HNSCC risk among HPV-seronegative cases (OR 0.48, 95 % CI 0.32–0.70), but not among HPV-seropositive cases (OR 0.91, 95 % CI 0.68–1.21). BMI was not associated with survival overall or by HPV status. However, being overweight (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2) was associated with longer survival among HPV-seropositive smokers (HR 0.48, 95 % CI 0.31–0.74).

Conclusions

Our findings are consistent with previous observations that obesity is inversely associated with the risk of HNSCC; however, this association appears to be confined to HPV-seronegative cases. Overall, obesity was not associated with HNSCC survival overall or by HPV status.

Impact

Obesity is associated with risk of non-HPV HNSCC, but not HPV HNSCC.
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Metadata
Title
Obesity and head and neck cancer risk and survival by human papillomavirus serology
Authors
Xinmiao Tan
Heather H. Nelson
Scott M. Langevin
Michael McClean
Carmen J. Marsit
Tim Waterboer
Michael Pawlita
Karl T. Kelsey
Dominique S. Michaud
Publication date
01-01-2015
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-014-0490-3

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