Current Developments in Nutrition · 4 authors, 4 centres
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This cross-sectional study of 146 newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients found that higher adherence to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)-2010 and DASH diet quality indices was associated with lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines measured before treatment.
The study analyzed cross-sectional data from 146 newly diagnosed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Dietary intake was assessed via a food frequency questionnaire, and serum proinflammatory cytokines were measured before treatment. Covariate-adjusted regression models were used to evaluate associations between 6 diet quality indices and a panel of 10 cytokines. Higher scores on the AHEI-2010 and DASH indices were associated with higher odds of lower cytokine values for several cytokines and a summary composite score (AHEI-2010 OR: 1.55; DASH OR: 1.65). The authors suggest this may indicate a biologically plausible mechanism for previously observed survival benefits linked to AHEI-2010 adherence in the same cohort. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, which precludes causal inference and cannot rule out reverse causality, a limited sample size, and a population primarily composed of non-Hispanic White individuals, which may limit generalizability.
