Objective: to assess the relationship between different colorectal cancer risk factors in Albacete province.
Material and method: the incidence and prevalence of CC (colorectal cancer) in Albacete province during the years from 1992 to 1999 were calculated using data from the Surgery and Anatomical Pathology Departments of hospitals located in the province, both public ("Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete" and "Hospital Comarcal de Hellín") and private ("Recoletas", "Sanatorios del Rosario" and "Santa Cristina"), and the provincial archives of the National Cancer Registry. Subsequently, the same calculation was made for each of the 33 Health Areas into which the province is organized. The three Health Areas with the highest incidence, and the three with the lowest incidence, of CC were selected for the study. By means of a systematic randomization of persons over 50 years, 445 persons were selected for the study using the census of the 25 villages and towns located in the high and low CC incidence areas. Subsequently we carried out the survey in these two zones: high and low incidence areas. Data were collected in Dbase IV, and the statistical analysis was carried out with the statistical package SPSS 10.1 for Windows.
Results: during the period studied 531 new cases of CC were registered, of which 291 (54.99%) were men. Mean rate was 15.9 per 100,000 persons/year. Highest incidence areas included Elche de la Sierra (30.2 per 100,000 persons/year), followed by Alcadozo (28.3), and Ontur (26.9). Lowest incidence areas were Ossa de Montiel (5.9), Munera (5.1), and Balazote (6.5). Out of 450 participants 414 (92%) filled out the questionnaire correctly. Variables including some kind of alcohol use (beer, wine, and coffee with brandy) are significantly associated with CC and multiply by more than one the risk for this disease. Some qualitative variables with statistically significant association increase, while some decrease, the risk of CC. For example, associated pathologies multiplies the risk of CC by 0.6, physical exercise by 0.3, moderate intake of alcohol by 0.5, olive oil intake by 0.7, and water intake by 0.3. Furthermore, a high intake of alcohol multiplies the risk of CC by 1.8, eggs and omelette by 2.95, pasta and rice by 2.15, blue fish by 1.8, meat and cold meats by 1.6, and having a first- or second-degree relative with cancer by 3.
Conclusions: there is a significant relationship between colorectal cancer and familial cancer, physical activity, and the ingestion of alcohol, water, pasta, rice, and eggs.