Iron as a risk factor for cancers of the gastrointestinal tract

Abstract

Background. Iron is a pro-oxidant and involved in inflammatory response and endogenous nitrosation. It is a candidate modifiable risk factor for cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Methods. A gene-disease systematic review was conducted to investigate associations between polymorphisms in iron metabolism genes, including HFE, and GI tract cancers. Data from a case-control study of dietary risk factors and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) were analysed to investigate the association between HFE variants and EAC and reported intakes of red meat, iron (total and heme-bound) and EAC. Results. The results of the systematic review did not support an association between HFE variants and colorectal neoplasia. No studies were identified that investigated genetic variants in iron metabolism genes and EAC. The secondary case-control analyses found no association between HFE variants and EAC. The analyses provided evidence suggestive of an association between intake of heme iron and EAC.