INTRODUCTION: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, coffee, and tea, limited red meat, and moderate alcohol intake may reduce the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The anti-inflammatory potential of diet has been proposed as a mechanism influencing cancer risk. This study assessed the association between an anti-inflammatory diet and RCC risk.
METHODOLOGY: Data from two Swedish cohorts, the Swedish-Mammography-Cohort and the Cohort-of-Swedish-Men, were analysed. Dietary habits were assessed using a 96-item food frequency questionnaire. The Anti-Inflammatory Diet Index (AIDI), composed of 16 food groups (11 anti-inflammatory and 5 pro-inflammatory), was used to score dietary patterns. RCC cases were identified from the Swedish Cancer Register using ICD-10 codes, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios based on AIDI quartiles.
RESULTS: Among 71,421 participants, 431 RCC cases were identified during a 19.7-year follow-up. Higher AIDI scores were associated with a lower RCC risk (HR for Q4 vs. Q1: 0.68, CI: 0.52-0.89). In sex-stratified analyses (p-for heterogeneity = 0.006), the association was stronger in among women (HR: 0.47, CI: 0.30-0.75) but less clear in among men (HR: 0.83, CI: 0.63-1.24).
CONCLUSION: These data suggest that adherence to an anti-inflammatory diet may confer a reduced risk for RCC, especially among women.
Nature Publishing Group, 2025. Vol. 132, no 11, p. 1027-1039