title: Alcohol and endometrial cancer risk: a case-control study and a meta-analysis.
abstract: To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and endometrial cancer risk, we analyzed data from a hospital-based case-control study, conducted in Italy between 1992 and 2006, on 454 endometrial cancer cases and 908 controls, and performed a meta-analysis updated to October 2009. Compared to never alcohol drinkers, the odds ratio was 1.03 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.76-1.41) for < or = 7, 1.27 (95% CI 0.86-1.87) for 8-14, and 1.19 (95% CI 0.80-1.77) for > or = 15 drinks/week, with no trend in risk. No association emerged for wine, beer, and spirit consumption analyzed separately. The meta-analysis included 20 case-control and seven cohort studies, for a total of 13,120 cases. Compared to non/low drinkers, the pooled relative risks for drinkers were 0.90 (95% CI 0.80-1.01) for case-control studies, 1.01 (95% CI 0.90-1.14) for cohort studies, and 0.95 (95% CI 0.88-1.03) overall, with no heterogeneity between study design (p = 0.156). The overall estimate for heavy versus non/low drinkers was 1.12 (95% CI 0.87-1.45). The results were consistent according to selected study characteristics, including geographic area, definition of alcohol drinkers, and type of controls in case-control studies. Our findings provide evidence that alcohol drinking is not associated with endometrial cancer risk, although a weak positive association for very high drinkers cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Via G. La Masa 19, 20157, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turati
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallus
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavani
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tramacere
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polesel
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Talamini
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montella
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceshi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult