[Spicy food consumption and risk of lip, oral cavity and pharynx cancers: a prospective cohort study of Chinese adults].

To explore the association of spicy food consumption and risk of lip, oral cavity, and pharynx cancers (LOCPs) in Chinese adults. Based on the baseline survey and long-term follow-up of the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study, Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios () and 95% confidence intervals (95%) for associations between spicy food consumption and LOCPs incidence. Of the 510 145 participants included at baseline, 30.1% reported daily spicy food consumption. During a mean follow-up of 10.8 (2.0) years, we documented 767 LOCPs cases. Multivariate adjusted analyses showed that the risk of LOCPs incidence decreased with the frequency of spicy food intake (trend =0.003), with of 0.69 (95%:0.54-0.88) for daily spicy food consumers, compared with never or occasional consumers. Participants who preferred moderate pungency degrees had the lowest risk of LOCPs, with a 33%[0.67(95%:0.52-0.87)] reduced risk compared to those who consumed spicy food less than once per week. The later the starting age, the lower the risk (trend =0.004). Those who started eating spicy food after 18 years old had the lowest risk of LOCPs incidence, with adjusted (95%) of 0.70(0.54-0.92). Spicy food intake might be associated with a decreased risk of LOCPs incidence. Such association was independent of healthy lifestyles. Advocating moderate-pungency spicy food consumption and healthy lifestyles might help prevent LOCPs.