Allergy symptoms, serum total immunoglobulin E, and risk of head and neck cancer.
PURPOSE
Allergy symptoms have been associated with a reduced head and neck cancer (HNC) risk, while elevated blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels have been associated with an increased HNC risk. According to the "prophylaxis hypothesis," allergic reaction is the body's way of expelling carcinogens. IgE level may be increased by exposure to environmental carcinogens, including alcohol and cigarette smoke. We hypothesized that individuals with elevated serum IgE without allergy symptoms (i.e., asymptomatic atopic) would have the highest HNC risk.


METHODS
A case-control study of HNC (576 cases and 740 controls) was conducted to evaluate the association between allergy symptoms or serum total IgE and HNC risk and the effect modification of allergy symptoms on the association between serum total IgE and HNC risk.


RESULTS
Elevated serum total IgE was associated with a significantly increased HNC risk [odds ratio (OR) 1.71, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.21-2.42]. Having allergy symptoms was associated with a significantly reduced HNC risk (OR 0.56, 95 % CI 0.43-0.73). Compared to subjects with normal serum total IgE and no allergy symptoms, asymptomatic atopic individuals had a significantly increased HNC risk (OR 2.12, 95 % CI 1.33-3.35).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results provided further evidence to support the "prophylaxis hypothesis." Further investigations regarding the immune profiles of asymptomatic atopic individuals may provide additional clues for the biological mechanisms underlying the association between allergy symptoms, IgE, and HNC risk.
['Liao|Hsiao-Chen|HC|', 'Wu|Shang-Yin|SY|', 'Ou|Chun-Yen|CY|', 'Hsiao|Jenn-Ren|JR|', 'Huang|Jehn-Shyun|JS|', 'Tsai|Sen-Tien|ST|', 'Huang|Cheng-Chih|CC|', 'Wong|Tung-Yiu|TY|', 'Lee|Wei-Ting|WT|', 'Chen|Ken-Chung|KC|', 'Fang|Sheen-Yie|SY|', 'Wu|Jiunn-Liang|JL|', 'Huang|Tze-Ta|TT|', 'Wu|Yuan-Hua|YH|', 'Hsueh|Wei-Ting|WT|', 'Yen|Chia-Jui|CJ|', 'Yang|Ming-Wei|MW|', 'Lin|Forn-Chia|FC|', 'Lai|Yu-Hsuan|YH|', 'Chang|Jang-Yang|JY|', 'Lin|Chen-Lin|CL|', 'Wang|Yi-Hui|YH|', 'Weng|Ya-Ling|YL|', 'Yang|Han-Chien|HC|', 'Chen|Yu-Shan|YS|', 'Chang|Jeffrey S|JS|']
D016022:Case-Control Studies D005260:Female D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms D006801:Humans D006967:Hypersensitivity D007073:Immunoglobulin E D015994:Incidence D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D012306:Risk
Allergy Immunoglobulin E Head and neck cancer Case–control