Dietary and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Gastric and Pancreatic Cancers: A Case-Control Study

Gastric cancer (GC) and pancreatic cancer (PC) are the third and seventh most likely cancers to cause death worldwide. We aimed to determine the dietary and lifestyle factors of patients with GC or PC and their associated risk among Jordanians. This case-control study enrolled 587 adults (patients with PC, 101; patients with GC, 172; healthy controls, 314) between March 2015 and August 2018, who were assessed using interview-based personal and physical activity questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression models were taken as measures for predictors of GC and PC risk. We showed that GC and PC patients had higher pre-diagnosis body-mass indexes, a greater proportion smoked and had a family history of cancer than controls. Furthermore, consumption of two snacks [odds ratios (OR)=0.44, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.23 similar to 0.85], three snacks (OR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.01 similar to 0.23) and no meals eaten outside (OR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.09 similar to 0.99) showed a protective effect against GC, and consumption of three snacks (OR=0.08, 95% CI: 0.02 similar to 0.40) reduced significantly the risk of PC. These results suggest that bodyweight, physical activity, smoking, and family history of cancer are among factors that affect GC and PC risk among Jordanians.