Pancreatic cancer risk: Data about the relation with pancreatic cancer risk was provided by 3 cohorts. A nonsignificant protective effect was found in one cohort
(16), but no associations were found in the other cohorts (6, 19).
Pancreatic cancer mortality: No data was found.
Conclusion: No significant associations were found. No evidence was found for an association between onions and pancreatic cancer.
| Author | Cohort name | Subjects | Years of follow-up | Cases | End point | Consumption of | Relative Risk (RR) | Adjustments |
| 19) Wang L (2009) | The Women's Health Study | 38,408 female health professionals aged ≥ 45. (USA) | 11.5 (1992-95 to 2007) | Not defined. | Pancreatic cancer incidence | Onion | Risk did not materially change with intake (data not shown). | Age, race, total energy, randomized treatment assignment, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, postmenopausal status, hormone replacement therapy use, multivitamin use, family history of colorectal cancer, ovary cancer, or breast cancer, and intake of fruit and vegetables, fiber, folate, and saturated fat. |
| 16) Nöthlings U (2007) | The Multiethnic Cohort Study | 183,518 men and women aged 45-75. (Hawaii & California) | 8 (1993-96 to 2002) | 529? | Exocrine pancreatic cancer incidence | Onions | A modest inverse association (data not shown; P = 0.057). | Stratified by sex, ethnicity, and follow-up time. Adjustment for age at cohort entry, history of diabetes mellitus, family history of pancreatic cancer, body mass index, smoking status, pack-years of smoking, processed and red meat intake, and energy intake. |
| 6) Bobe G (2008) | The Alpha-Tocopherol, beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC) | 27,111 healthy male smokers of ≥ 5 cigarettes/day aged 50-69. (Finland) | 16.1 (1985-2004) | 306 | Primary exocrine adenocarcinoma of the pancreas incidence | Onions | HR = 0.59 (0.19-1.83; P = 0.36) for consumption > 0 vs 0 g/day. Effect modification: No significant interaction was found by intervention (any supplement [alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, or both] vs placebo). | Age at randomization, years of smoking, total number of cigarettes per day, self-reported history of diabetes mellitus, and energy-adjusted saturated fat intake. |