Prospective cohort study of the association of ultra-processed food consumption and renal cell carcinoma incidence and mortality

Analysis of the US Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial investigated the association between ultra-processed food consumption (defined by NOVA criteria) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence and mortality. Among 101,688 included participants, 410 developed RCC during 899,731 person-years (median 9,41 year) and 230 died from RCC during 1.533.930 person-years (median 16.85 year). Participants in the highest compared with the lowest quintile of ultraprocessed food consumption had higher risk of RCC incidence (HR 1.42; p for trend=0.004) and RCC mortality (HR 1.64; p for trend=0.027). Linear dose-response associations with RCC incidence as well as RCC mortality were observed for ultra-processed food consumption. The authors conclude that higher consumption of ultraprocessed food is associated with increased risk of RCC incidence and mortality.