RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of stomach cancer had decreased in developed countries, but still remains high in Korea. There was an agreement that dietary factors were the most important factors in gastric carcinogenesis. We undertook a meta-analysis to verify the relation between Korean food items and stomach cancer. METHODS: We searched all studies compatible for meta-analysis by computer and by manual and found two studies. We analyzed 14 dietary factors presented in the two studies by Peto's method. We calculated summary odds ratios and test for homogeneity. RESULTS: Among the 14 dietary factors, salt preference (odds ratio 1.72 [95%CI 1.29-2.30] P<0.001), soybean paste stew (odds ratio 4.19 [95%CI 2.99-5.89] P<0.001), hot pepper soybean paste stew (odds ratio 1.96 [95%CI 1.45-2.64] P<0.001), Kimchi (odds ratio 2.05 [95%CI 1.43-2.94] P<0.001), meat/fish stew (odds ratio 1.58 [95%CI 1.17-2.13] P=0.003), Bulgogi/broiled fish (odds ratio 1.84 [95%CI 1.37-2.49] P<0.001), salted side dishes (odds ratio 1.96 [95%CI 1.47-2.61] P<0.001), and chemical seasoning (odds ratio 2.55 95%CI 1.62-4.02 P<0.001) were risk factors to gastric cancer. But mung bean pancake (odds ratio 0.2 [95%CI 0.14-0.31] P<0.001) Dubu (odds ratio 0.59 [95%CI 0.43-0.83] P=0.002), and garlic (odds ratio 0.45 [95%CI 0.32-0.63] P<0.001) were preventable factors against gastric cancer. Red pepper (odds ratio 1.21 [95%CI 0.91-1.63] P=0.19) and boiled rice (odds ratio 1.39 [95%CI 0.87-2.2] P=0.16) were risk factors to gastric cancer, and sesame oil preference (odds ratio 0.68 [95%CI 0.46-1.01] P=0.06) was a preventable factor against gastric cancer, but these results were not statistically significant.