Associations Between Diet Quality and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

Christian A Maino Vieytes; Laura S Rozek; Gregory T Wolf; Anna E Arthur

doi:10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102015

Associations Between Diet Quality and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

Curr Dev Nutr. 2023 Oct 12;7(11):102015. doi: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102015. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Christian A Maino Vieytes¹, Laura S Rozek², Gregory T Wolf³, Anna E Arthur⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States.
² Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States.
³ Department of Otolaryngology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
⁴ Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States.

Abstract

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a class of heterogenous cancers involving the upper aerodigestive tract. We previously demonstrated the utility of a priori diet quality indices for predicting survival after an HNSCC diagnosis. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the role of those a priori diet quality indices and proinflammatory cytokines in newly diagnosed HNSCC survivors.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from a sample (n = 146; mean age 59.6 y; 79.3% male) from the University of Michigan Head and Neck Specialized Program of Research Excellence prospective longitudinal cohort study. Dietary intake was measured at pretreatment using a food frequency questionnaire. Serum samples were also collected at pretreatment. Covariate-adjusted proportional odds and logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between 6 diet quality indices (Alternative Healthy Eating Index [AHEI]-2010, Alternate Mediterranean Diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH], and 3 low-carbohydrate indices) and serum measures of a panel of 10 inflammatory cytokines and a cytokine summary composite score.

Results: Higher scores on the AHEI-2010 and DASH diet quality indices were associated with higher odds of lower cytokine value scores for several cytokines and for the cytokine summary composite score (AHEI-2010-odds ratio [OR]: 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10, 2.20; DASH-OR: 1.65; 95% CI 1.15, 2.36).

Conclusions: Higher scores on the AHEI-2010 and DASH diet quality indices may be associated with lower proinflammatory cytokine levels in HNSCC survivors.

Keywords: biomarkers; cancer; cytokines; dietary quality indices; inflammation; nutritional epidemiology; survivorship.