Association between the Processed Dietary Pattern and Tumor Staging in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Most patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease. The tumor stage is one of the most important prognostic factors for patients with this type of cancer. However, it is unknown whether the dietary pattern is related to prognostic factors in cancer, such as the tumor stage and cell differentiation. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between dietary patterns, tumor staging, and the degree of cellular differentiation in patients newly diagnosed with HNSCC. We found that a greater adherence to a dietary pattern consisting of processed foods was associated with advanced staging. This information contributes to the construction of nutritional guidance for reducing the risk of HNSCC. ABSTRACT: Purpose: This study aimed to assess the association between dietary patterns and tumor staging and the degree of cell differentiation in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 136 individuals newly diagnosed with different stages of HNSCC, aged 20- to 80 years-old. Dietary patterns were determined by principal component analysis (PCA), using data collected from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinicopathological data were collected from patients’ medical records. Disease staging was categorized as initial stage (stages I and II), intermediary (stage III), and advanced (stage IV). Cell differentiation was categorized as poor, moderate, or well-differentiated. The association of dietary patterns with tumor staging and cell differentiation was evaluated using multinomial logistic regression models and adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Three dietary patterns, “healthy,” “processed,” and “mixed,” were identified. The “processed” dietary pattern was associated with intermediary (odds ratio (OR) 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.43–4.26; p = 0.001) and advanced (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.12–2.84; p = 0.015) staging. No association was found between dietary patterns and cell differentiation. Conclusion: A high adherence to dietary patterns based on processed foods is associated with advanced tumor staging in patients newly diagnosed with HNSCC.