Gastrointestinal Disorders (Jul 2024)

Exploring the Dietary, Lifestyle, and Demographic Factors Associated with Risk for Colorectal Cancer and Colorectal Abnormalities in a Fecal Immunochemical Test-Positive Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Kingdom of Bahrain

  • Omar Sharif,
  • Afnan Freije,
  • Salwa Al-Thawadi,
  • Dalal Alromaihi,
  • Fida Alsaffar,
  • Essam Juma,
  • Faisal Abubaker,
  • Abdulrahman Barakat,
  • Mariam Alhammadi,
  • Zeyad Mahmood,
  • Suha Hejres,
  • Hanan Matar,
  • Alice Trezza,
  • Mariangela Rondanelli,
  • Simone Perna

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/gidisord6030041
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 3
pp. 622 – 633

Abstract

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Background/Objectives: Colorectal cancer incidence in Bahrain occurs at a ratio of 13.4–18.8 per 100,000 persons after age standardization. This study aims to explore the relationship between colorectal cancer/abnormalities and different lifestyle factors. Secondly, it aims to explore the association between f-Hb levels, colonoscopy findings, and lifestyle factors in a FIT-positive population in Bahrain. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed for patients positive for FIT and who had a colonoscopy. Different dietary and demographic factors as well as f-Hb levels were assessed. Results: A total of 559 (M: 330; F: 229) subjects were enrolled in this study. Subjects with CRC had significantly higher f-Hb concentrations (median: 1269 μg/mg) when compared with subjects of other groups. Higher percentages of CRC as well as large and small polyps were recorded in males. However, there was no significant difference in f-Hb concentration between males and females (p = 0.90). Higher median levels were found for f-Hb in patients with Q3 (higher red meat consumption) compared to Q1 and Q2 in the category with CRC, despite there being no statistically significant differences among the groups (p = 0.742). Similar results for coffee consumption and f-Hb concentrations in the different groups have been recorded (p = 0.697). A higher quartile of red meat consumption was associated with an increase in CRC risk of 79.9%. Coffee consumption reflected a lower risk of CRC by −47% moving from Q1 to Q2, while BMI was found to be a risk factor (+44%) for CRC. Conclusion: This study highlighted that high f-Hb concentration can be used as a predictive biomarker of CRC.

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