Population based cohort study of the association between alcohol intake and cancer of the upper digestive tract.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between different types of alcoholic drinks and upper digestive tract cancers (oropharyngeal and oesophageal).


METHODS
Population based study with baseline assessment of intake of beer, wine, and spirits, smoking habits, educational level, and 2-19 years' follow up on risk of upper digestive tract cancer.


METHODS
Denmark.


METHODS
15 117 men and 13 063 women aged 20 to 98 years.


METHODS
Number and time of identification of incident upper digestive tract cancer during follow up.


RESULTS
During a mean follow up of 13.5 years, 156 subjects developed upper digestive tract cancer. Compared with non-drinkers (drinkers of <1 drink/week), subjects who drank 7-21 beers or spirits a week but no wine were at a risk of 3.0 (95% confidence interval 1.5 to 6.1), whereas those who had the same total alcohol intake but with wine as >=30% of their intake had a risk of 0.5 (0.2 to 1.4). Drinkers of >21 beers and spirits but no wine had a relative risk of 5.2 (2.7 to 10.2) compared with non-drinkers, whereas those who drank the same amount, but included wine in their alcohol intake, had a relative risk of 1.7 (0.6 to 4. 4).


CONCLUSIONS
A moderate intake of wine probably does not increase the risk of upper digestive tract cancer, whereas a moderate intake of beer or spirits increases the risk considerably.
Grønbaek
M
M
Copenhagen Centre for Prospective Population Studies, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre at the Institute of Preventive Medicine, Kommunehospitalet, 1399 Copenhagen K, Denmark. mg@ipm.hosp.dk
Becker
U
U
Johansen
D
D
Tønnesen
H
H
Jensen
G
G
Sørensen
T I
TI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001515:Beer / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D014920:Wine / Q000009:adverse effects