Environmental risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case-control study in Chonburi, Thailand
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Date
2011-02-11
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Thai Cancer Journal
Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has a unique and complex etiology that is incompletely understood. The incidence of NPC varies widely by geographic location and ethnic background. To understand the role of environmental exposures in the risk of NPC, a case-control study was conducted among 115 newly diagnosed cases of NPC and 85 controls matched by sex, age, and geographic residence. Data were collected by interview for demographic variables, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, eating habits, history of disease, family history of cancer, and lifetime history of every job held for one year or longer. The results suggested a strong influence of EBV infection on NPC risk (OR=35, 95%CI= 11.44-110.42). Cigarette smoking was also associated with 2.24-fold increased risk of NPC (OR= 2.24, 95% CI=1.09-4.58). Increased risk was indicated with a history of chronic ear or nose disease (OR= 5.1, 95% CI =1.31-20.00). Furthermore, lower education levels were positively associated with NPC (OR= 2.23, 95% CI= 1.09-4.57). There was no association between NPC and salted-fish intake (OR= 1.38, 95% CI= 0.84-2.25) or alcohol consumption (OR= 0.88, 95% CI= 0.58-1.33). In summary, our results suggested that many risk factors\—including EBV infection, smoking, and chronic ear or nose disease, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NPC. (Thai Cancer J 2010;30:135-144)
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Thai Cancer Journal; Vol.30 No.4 October-December 2010; 135-144