Alkohol og øvre gastrointestinal cancer Resultater fra Hovedstadens Center for Prospektive Befolkningsstudier

The present population based cohort study investigates the association between alcohol intake and cancer of the upper digestive tract. The design was prospective 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 (oropharyngeal and oesophageal). 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). In 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.