Adherence to Mediterranean diet: A comparison of patients with head and neck cancer and healthy population

The traditional Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated to a lower risk of suffering multiple tumors. However, few studies have analyzed the relationship between MD and the risk of developing head and neck cancer (HNC). A case-control study comparing adherence to MD was conducted in patients diagnosed with HNC and healthy population. The level of adherence to MD was assessed using the 14-item MEDAS (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener) questionnaire, used in the PREDIMED study, in patients diagnosed with HNC at 12de Octubre Hospital in Madrid (cases) and in healthy subjects enrolled in a nearby primary health care center (controls). Adherence was stratified based on the score as low (≤7points), medium (8-9points), and high (≥10points). The odds ratio (OR) for developing HNC was estimated based on different factors. A sample of 168 subjects (100 controls and 68 cases) was analyzed. Smoking (OR, 2.98 [95%CI: 1.44-6.12]; P=.003) and alcohol consumption (OR, 2.72 [95%CI: 1.39-5.33], P=.003) were strongly associated to HNC. However, medium-high adherence to MD was associated to a lower risk of developing HNC (OR, 0.48 [95%CI: 0.20-1.07], P=.052). Consistent medium-high adherence to MD contributes to decrease the risk of developing HNC.