Anthropometry, physical activity and cancer of unknown primary (CUP) risk: Results from the Netherlands cohort study.

Abstract Background Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) is a metastatic disease for which the primary tumour origin could not be identified during life. Few studies have investigated the risk factors associated with this disease. This study investigates anthropometry, physical activity and CUP risk. Methods Data is used from the Netherlands Cohort Study, which includes 120,852 participants aged 55–69 years. All cohort members completed a self-administered questionnaire on cancer risk factors at baseline in 1986. Cancer follow-up was established through record linkage to the Netherlands Cancer Registry and the Dutch Pathology Registry. After a follow-up of 20.3 years, 926 incident CUP cases and 4099 subcohort members were available for case-cohort analyses. Proportional hazards models were used to compute multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). Results We found no associations between height, body mass index (BMI) at baseline, BMI at age 20 years, change in BMI since age 20 years, clothing size (trouser/skirt size), or non-occupational physical activity and CUP risk. Conclusion Our findings indicate that neither anthropometry nor physical activity are associated with the development of CUP.