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. 2012 Feb;95(2):413-9.
doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.022145. Epub 2012 Jan 4.

Alcohol consumption and the risk of colon cancer by family history of colorectal cancer

Eunyoung Cho  1 , Jung Eun Lee, Eric B Rimm, Charles S Fuchs, Edward L Giovannucci
Affiliations

Alcohol consumption and the risk of colon cancer by family history of colorectal cancer

Eunyoung Cho et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer may be more susceptible to adverse effects of alcohol consumption.

Objective: We investigated whether the association between alcohol consumption and colon cancer risk differed by family history of colorectal cancer.

Design: We conducted prospective studies in women and men in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, respectively. Alcohol consumption was first assessed in 1980 in women and in 1986 in men.

Results: During a follow-up of 26 y among 87,861 women and 20 y among 47,290 men, we documented 1801 cases of colon cancer (1094 women and 707 men). Higher alcohol consumption was associated with an elevated risk of colon cancer, although the association was significant only for the highest intake category of ≥30 g/d, with no significant linear trend. The association between alcohol consumption and colon cancer risk differed by family history of colorectal cancer; in comparison with nondrinkers, the pooled multivariate RRs for alcohol consumption of ≥30 g/d were 1.23 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.57; NS) among those with no family history and 2.02 (95% CI: 1.30, 3.13) among those with a family history of colorectal cancer (P value test for difference = 0.05). In comparison with nondrinkers with no family history, the RR for colon cancer was 2.80 (95% CI: 2.00, 3.91) for individuals who consumed ≥30 g/d and who had a family history of colorectal cancer.

Conclusion: Reducing alcohol consumption may decrease the incidence of colon cancer, especially among those with a family history of colorectal cancer.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Pooled multivariate RR of colon cancer according to cumulative alcohol intake and family history of colorectal cancer. RR was stratified by age in months at the start of follow-up and calendar year of the current questionnaire cycle and was simultaneously adjusted for the following factors: pack-years of smoking before age 30 y (never smoker; 1–4, 5–10, or ≥11 y of smoking), BMI (in kg/m2; <23, 23 to <25, 25 to <30, 30 to <35, or ≥35), history of endoscopy (yes or no), use of aspirin (never; past; current use of 1–2, 3–5, 6–14, or ≥15 tablets/wk), and intakes of energy (continuous), calcium (continuous), folate (<250, 250 to <400, 400 to <600, 600 to <800, or ≥800 μg/d), and red meat (quintiles). In the NHS, information on menopausal status and use of postmenopausal hormone (premenopausal, never, past, or current) were also adjusted for. The number of cases in each category was 268 for 0 g alcohol/d and no family history, 846 for 0.1–14.9 g alcohol/d and no family history, 152 for 15 to <30 g alcohol/d and no family history, 111 for ≥30 g alcohol/d and no family history, 71 for 0 g alcohol/d and family history, 260 for 0.1–14.9 g alcohol/d and family history, 49 for 15 to <30 g alcohol/d and family history, and 44 for ≥30 g alcohol/d and family history. *RR was significant. NHS, Nurses’ Health Study.
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References

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