title: Association between alcohol intake and risk for gastric cancer with regard to ALDH2 genotype in the Korean population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between alcohol intake and the risk for gastric cancer is not fully understood. The association between alcohol consumption and the risk for gastric cancer was investigated in the Korean population with the ALDH2 genotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2003 to 2008, 445 patients with gastric cancer and 370 control subjects ≥ 50 years of age were included in the analysis. Logistic regression models including age, gender, education, smoking and drinking status, Helicobacter pylori infection and ALDH2 genotype were evaluated to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the development of gastric cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all subjects, the risk for gastric cancer was increased in ex-drinkers [OR 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-2.64], but not in current drinkers. Subjects with inactive ALDH2 *2 allele(s) showed a lower level of alcohol consumption than ALDH2 *1/*1 homozygotes (P < 0.001). Among the ALDH2 *1/*2 carriers (n = 243), current/ex-drinkers had a significantly increased risk for gastric cancer compared with never/rare drinkers (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.51-5.19). Among heavy drinkers (n = 115), ALDH2 *1/*2 heterozygotes had a 4-fold increased risk for gastric cancer compared with *1/*1 homozygotes (OR 4.26, 95% CI 1.10-16.47); however, no risk increase was seen among never/rare drinkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A dose-response association between alcohol intake and the risk for gastric cancer was not observed. However, ALDH2 polymorphisms were found to modify the susceptibility to the development of gastric cancer associated with alcohol intake, especially in case of ALDH2 *1/*2 genotype. The findings suggest an alcohol-ALDH2 genotype interaction in gastric carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoungnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Nayoung
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Joo Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Chae
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: In Sung
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial