Abstract B6: Vegetable and fruit intakes and risk of Barrett’s esophagus in men and women

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). Modifiable risk factors for BE are largely unknown.

The purpose of this study was to determine if vegetable and fruit intakes were associated with BE risk.

In a case-control study based in western Washington State, we compared the vegetable and fruit intakes of 170 patients newly diagnosed with BE to those of 182 controls from the general population. Relationships between vegetable and fruit intakes and BE were examined using unconditional logistic regression to compute odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Participants in the second and third tertiles of vegetable intake appeared to be at lowered BE risk (multivariate-adjusted OR=0.40 (95% CI=0.22, 0.74); OR=0.35 (95% CI=0.18, 0.70) respectively; P_trend=0.047) compared to participants in the first tertile of vegetable intake. Similarly, participants in the second and third tertiles of combined vegetable and fruit intake were at lowered BE risk (multivariate-adjusted OR=0.53 (95% CI=0.29, 0.96); OR=0.47 (95% CI=0.24, 0.93) respectively; P_trend=0.094) compared to participants in the first tertile of vegetable and fruit intake. Similar results were obtained in subanalyses limited to BE cases with visible and with long-segment BE.

Data from our study support that increased intakes of vegetables and vegetables and fruits are associated with lowered risks of BE in men and women. Prospective data that examine relationships between diet and BE are needed.

Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B6.