Breath methane and large bowel cancer risk in contrasting African populations.

摘要: Breath methane has been measured in 1016 people from four populations resident Southern Africa which experience widely different risks of bowel cancer and other colonic diseases. Highly significant differences the proportion subjects with detectable breath were found; % producers--rural black 84, urban 72, white 52, Indian 41 (chi 2 121 p less than 0.001 3 df). There was a slight preponderance female producers over male (female 63%, males 57%) an age trend fewer older groups blacks Indians, these comparisons being when tested by stepwise logistic regression analysis. Bowel risk, determined variety sources, lowest rural blacks, greatest whites, intermediate rates for Indians. Methane production human colon shows interethnic but bear no relation to risk populations.