Socioeconomic status and stomach cancer incidence in men: results from The Netherlands Cohort Study.

Abstract

After adjustment for age, a lower overall stomach cancer risk was found for men with the highest attained level of education (RR highest/lowest level = 0.54, 95% CI 0.33, 0.89, trend, p = 0.02). This association became less strong after additional adjustment for smoking, intake of vitamin C, beta carotene, alcohol and coffee, family history of stomach cancer, and history of stomach disorders (RR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.34, 1.07, trend, p = 0.11). No clear association was found between occupation based SES indicators and stomach cancer risk. Analyses per subsite of stomach cancer revealed that for people with the highest level of education the age adjusted rate ratio for cardia cancer changed from 0.37 (95% CI = 0.13, 1.00) to 0.60 (95% CI = 0.19, 1.87) after additional adjustment for lifestyle variables, whereas the rate ratio for non-cardia cancer (RR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.33, 1.05) did not change after additional adjustment.