Alcohol drinking and colorectal cancer: a population-based prospective cohort study in China.
OBJECTIVE
To asses the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Chinese population.


METHODS
A population-based prospective cohort study was initiated from the colorectal cancer screening population in Jiashan County in 1989-1990. The drinking habits of individuals were investigated with demographic information.


METHODS
A cohort study was followed-up from 1st May 1990 to 1st January 2001 and censored at the date of diagnosis of CRC, at death from any causes, or at 1st January 2001, whichever came first, and the person-time was computed.


METHODS
Two hundred and forty two CRC patients were diagnosed during the study period and 64,100 individuals finished the follow-up.


RESULTS
The distribution of sex, smoking status, occupation, education level and marital status were all significantly different among different drinking habits at baseline. When the above factors were adjusted, no significant association was observed between alcohol consumption and the risk of CRC. Exclusion of individuals diagnosed cancer less than 1 year after the examination date did not alter the strength of an alcohol-CRC relationship. Further analysis in sex strata also did not show a significant relationship.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol drinking may not be associated with a higher risk of CRC in the Chinese population.
Chen
Kun
K
Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University school of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. ck@zju.edu.cn
Jiang
Qinting
Q
Ma
Xinyuan
X
Li
Qilong
Q
Yao
Kaiyan
K
Yu
Weiping
W
Zheng
Shu
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires