Dietary Habits, Demographical, and Socio-economical Risk Factors of the Newly Diagnosed Gastric Cancers in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey: An Endemic Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Region

The Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey is an endemic upper gastrointestinal (esophageal and gastric) cancer region, and the incidence of these cancers are still increasing in the region. We investigated demographic features, dietary habits, and some possible etiologic factors for this high prevalence. Special attention was given to the relationship between consumption of boiled yellow butter and the occurrence of gastric cancer. Age, sex, residential area, socio-economical status, educational status, vegetable and fruit consumption, alcohol and tobacco use, tea consumption, boiled butter usage, cooking and storage methods of the patients with gastric cancer and controls were investigated in East Anatolian Regional Erzurum State Hospital. Helicobacter pylori infection for gastric cancer risk was not studied. Fruit, yellow-green vegetables, boiled butter, and breads baked by animal manure consumptions and no refrigeration are found to be statistically significant etiologic factors for gastric carcinogenesis. Dietary habits might be risk factors for gastric carcinogenesis among East Anatolian population. Some regional differences in food processing and preparation also seem to play a role in gastric carcinogenesis.