Milk and total cancer.

Milk and total cancer.

Total cancer risk.

3 articles, providing information about 3 different cohorts were found, including 4,146 cases.
Results: 2 out of 3 cohorts examined the effect of childhood milk consumption (8, 11). One cohort examined the association with unpasteurized milk (8), while in the other cohorts predominantly whole milk was consumed (3, 11). A significant protective effect (trend) was found in one cohort (11). No other associations were found.
Effect modification: Data about effect modification was provided by one cohort (3). Associations did not differ significantly between sexes.
Conclusion: Data was provided about predominantly whole milk. A significant protective effect was found in one cohort. No other associations were found. No evidence was found for an association between milk consumption and total cancer risk (Average RR = 0.92).

Total cancer mortality.

6 articles, providing information about 6 different cohorts were found, including 21,331 cases.
Results: Only one out of these 6 cohorts existed of a non-Japanese population (14). A small, significantly increased risk was found in one cohort (2). No other associations were found.
Data from a 7th cohort was available where the association with "total cancer mortality other than from lung cancer" was examined (See extended version of the table). No significant association was found in this cohort, and no significant association was found with lung cancer mortality (6).
Effect modification: Data about effect modification was provided by one cohort (4). No difference in effect was found between whole-, semiskimmed-, and skimmed milk.
Conclusion: A small, but significantly increased risk was found in one cohort. No other associations were found. No evidence was found for an association between milk consumption and total cancer mortality (Excluding Ikeda M [1], and Bonthuis M [14] because of incomplete data: Average RR = 1.04).

Prospective studies of milk and total cancer risk:
AuthorCohort nameCasesRelative Risk (RR)
11) van der Pols JC (2007)The Boyd Orr Cohort770OR = 0.80 (0.61-1.04; P = 0.04).
8) Sellers TA (2008)The Iowa Women's Health Study1,954RR = 0.92 (0.83-1.02).
3) Ursin G (1990)No cohort name defined1,422OR = 0.99 (P = 0.83).
Total number of cases: 4,146Average RR = 0.92


Prospective studies of milk and total cancer mortality:
AuthorCohort nameCasesRelative Risk (RR)
14) Bonthuis M (2010)No cohort name defined58No association.
10) Iso H (2007)The JACC Study3,478 men, and

2,068 women
Men: HR = 0.96 (0.88-1.04).

Women: HR = 1.02 (0.92-1.14).
9) Matsumoto M (2007)The Jichi Medical School Cohort Study255HR = 1.07 (0.83-1.38; P = 0.58).
7) Khan MM (2004)No cohort name defined155 men, and

89 women
Men: RR = 1.0 (0.7-1.4).

Women: RR = 0.8 (0.5-1.2).
2) Hirayama T (1990)No cohort name defined14,740RR = 1.06 (1.03-1.10).
1) Ikeda M (1983)The Adult Health Study488No association.
Total number of cases: 21,331Average RR = 1.04