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Population based cohort study of the association between alcohol intake and cancer of the upper digestive tract

BMJ 1998; 317 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.317.7162.844 (Published 26 September 1998) Cite this as: BMJ 1998;317:844
  1. Morten Grønbæk, senior research fellow (mg{at}ipm.hosp.dk)a,
  2. Ulrik Becker, chief physicianb,
  3. Ditte Johansen, statisticiana,
  4. Hanne Tønnesen, senior research fellowc,
  5. Gorm Jensen, chief physiciand,
  6. Thorkild I A Sørensen, professora
  1. aCopenhagen Centre for Prospective Population Studies, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre at the Institute of Preventive Medicine, Kommunehospitalet, 1399CopenhagenK, Denmark,
  2. bAlcohol Unit, Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre University Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark,
  3. cDepartment of Surgical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre University Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
  4. dCopenhagen City Heart Study, Epidemiological Research Unit, Bispebjerg University Hospital, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark
  1. Correspondence to: Dr Grønbæk

    Abstract

    Objective: To examine the relation between different types of alcoholic drinks and upper digestive tract cancers (oropharyngeal and oesophageal).

    Design: Population based study with baseline assessment of intake of beer, wine, and spirits, smoking habits, educational level, and 2-19 years' follow up on risk of upper digestive tract cancer.

    Setting: Denmark.

    Subjects: 15 117 men and 13 063 women aged 20 to 98 years.

    Main outcome measure: Number and time of identification of incident upper digestive tract cancer during follow up.

    Results: During a mean follow up of 13.5 years, 156 subjects developed upper digestive tract cancer. Compared with non-drinkers (drinkers of <1 drink/week), subjects who drank 7-21 beers or spirits a week but no wine were at a risk of 3.0 (95% confidence interval 1.5 to 6.1), whereas those who had the same total alcohol intake but with wine as 30% of their intake had a risk of 0.5 (0.2 to 1.4). Drinkers of >21 beers and spirits but no wine had a relative risk of 5.2 (2.7 to 10.2) compared with non-drinkers, whereas those who drank the same amount, but included wine in their alcohol intake, had a relative risk of 1.7 (0.6 to 4.4).

    Conclusion:A moderate intake of wine probably does not increase the risk of upper digestive tract cancer, whereas a moderate intake of beer or spirits increases the risk considerably.

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