Alcohol drinking and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the relation between alcohol intake and the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).


METHODS
Hospital-based case-control study.


METHODS
The greater Milan area and the province of Pordenone, Northern Italy.


METHODS
Cases were 446 (256 men and 190 women) with histologically confirmed incident NHL, and controls were 1295 (791 men and 504 women) with acute non-neoplastic conditions.


RESULTS
Compared to non-drinkers, the odds ratio (OR) was 0.92 for <3 drinks per day, 0.98 for 3-6 drinks, and 1.02 for > or =7 drinks per day. Wine drinking was also not associated with risk, and the OR was 0.85 for drinkers of > or =7 drinks/day compared to non-drinkers. Beer and spirit intake was also not associated with NHL risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study, based on a population with relatively high alcohol intakes, indicates that there is no appreciable association between intake of various alcoholic beverages and the risk of NHL.


BACKGROUND
Italian Association for Research on Cancer, Milan, Italy.
Tavani
A
A
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano, Italy. tavani@marionegri.it
Gallus
S
S
La Vecchia
C
C
Franceschi
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors