Alcohol consumption and risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma: a multicentre case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have analysed the association between alcohol intake and Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) or multiple myeloma (MM) risks.


METHODS
A multicentre population-based case-control study of 363 HL, 270 MM cases, and 1771 controls offered the opportunity to evaluate the relationship between alcohol and HL/MM risks. Unconditional logistic regression was carried out to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), associated with alcohol intake (servings per week, grams per day of ethanol intake) or duration of exposure (year).


RESULTS
For HL, considering nonsmokers only, ever drinkers had a significantly decreased risk than never drinkers (OR=0.46). Significantly lower risks in all levels of total alcohol intake were also detected, considering servings per week (OR for one to four servings per week=0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.82; OR for five to nine servings per week=0.39, 95% CI 0.21-0.73; OR for 10-19 servings per week=0.26, 95% CI 0.12-0.54; OR for >or=20 servings per week=0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.79) and grams per day of ethanol intake (OR for 0.1-9.0 g/day=0.45, 95% CI 0.27-0.74; OR for 9.1-17.9 g/day=0.52, 95% CI 0.30-0.90; OR for 18.0-31.7 g/day=0.27, 95% CI 0.13-0.57; OR for >31.7 g/day=0.35, 95% CI 0.15-0.79). In the analysis for ever-smoking HL cases and controls, ever drinkers had the same risk as never drinkers. For MM, ever drinkers had a non-significantly decreased risk than non-drinkers (OR=0.74), and ORs in almost all consumption levels were not significant (OR for 0.1-9.0 g/day=0.93; OR for 9.1-17.9 g/day=0.82; OR for 18.0-31.7 g/day=0.47; 95% CI 0.28-0.81; OR for >31.7 g/day=0.68). For HL and MM, the beverage type did not affect the risk significantly, and no consistent dose-response relationships were found, considering intensity or duration of alcohol consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study indicates a protective effect of alcohol consumption for nonsmoking HL cases.
Gorini
G
G
Istituto Toscano Tumori, Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, Centre for Study and Prevention of Cancer, Florence. Electronic address: g.gorini@cspo.it.
Stagnaro
E
E
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa.
Fontana
V
V
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa.
Miligi
L
L
Istituto Toscano Tumori, Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, Centre for Study and Prevention of Cancer, Florence.
Ramazzotti
V
V
National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Rome.
Amadori
D
D
Oncology Department, Azienda USL Forlì, Forlì.
Rodella
S
S
Azienda Ospedaliera, Verona.
Tumino
R
R
Cancer registry & Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera "Civile M.P. Arezzo," Ragusa.
Crosignani
P
P
Epidemiology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Milan.
Vindigni
C
C
Pathology Institute, University of Siena, Siena.
Fontana
A
A
Local Health Unit, Novara.
Vineis
P
P
Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Turin, Italy; Imperial College-London, UK.
Seniori Costantini
A
A
Istituto Toscano Tumori, Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, Centre for Study and Prevention of Cancer, Florence.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking