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Purpose: In 2007, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) published eight recommendations regarding body weight, physical activity, and dietary behaviors aimed at reducing cancer incidence worldwide. In this paper, we assess whether meeting the WCRF/AICR recommendations is associated with lower colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence; evaluate whether particular recommendations are most strongly associated with lower CRC incidence; and assess whether associations differ by sex.Methods: We operationalized six of the recommendations (related to body weight, physical activity, energy density, plant foods, red and processed meat, and alcohol) and examined their association with CRC incidence over 7.6 years of follow-up in the prospective VITamins And Lifestyle Study cohort. Participants included 66,920 adults aged 50-76 years at baseline (2000-2002) with no history of CRC and with complete data for the recommendations evaluated. Incident colorectal cancers (n = 546) were tracked through 2009.Results: Compared with meeting no recommendations, meeting 1-3 recommendations was associated with 34-45 % lower CRC incidence, and meeting 4-6 was associated with 58 % lower incidence (95 % CI 34 %, 74 %) in fully adjusted analyses. The recommendations most strongly associated with lower CRC risk for women were related to body fatness and red and processed meat, while for men these were alcohol intake and red and processed meat. Differences by sex were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for the recommendations related to body weight and to alcohol.Conclusions: Meeting the WCRF/AICR recommendations, particularly those related to alcohol, body weight, and red and processed meat, could substantially reduce CRC incidence; however, associations differ by sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In 2007, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) released eight recommendations related to body fatness, physical activity, and diet aimed at preventing the most common cancers worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the association between meeting these recommendations and cancer-specific mortality. Methods: We operationalized six recommendations (related to body fatness; physical activity; and consumption of foods that promote weight gain, plant foods, red and processed meat, and alcohol) and examined their association with cancer-specific mortality over 7.7 years of follow-up in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) Study cohort. Participants included 57,841 men and women ages 50-76 in 2000-2002 who had not been diagnosed with cancer prior to baseline. Cancer-specific deaths ( n = 1,595) were tracked through the Washington State death file. Results: Meeting the recommendations related to plant foods and foods that promote weight gain were most strongly associated with lower cancer-specific mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.82, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.67, 1.00 and HR 0.82, 95 % CI 0.70, 0.96, respectively]. Cancer-specific mortality was 61 % lower in respondents who met at least five recommendations compared to those who met none (HR 0.39, 95 % CI 0.24, 0.62). Cancer-specific mortality was 10 % lower on an average with each additional recommendation met (per-recommendation HR 0.90, 95 % CI 0.85, 0.94; p < 0.001). This association did not differ by sex or age but was stronger in non-smokers (HR 0.84, 95 % CI 0.76, 0.92) than in smokers (HR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.87, 0.98; p = 0.086). Conclusion: Adherence to the WCRF/AICR cancer prevention recommendations developed to reduce incidence of common cancers could substantially reduce cancer-specific mortality in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Prior cancer research is limited by inconsistencies in defining rurality. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of cancer risk factors and cancer screening behaviors across various county-based rural classification codes, including measures reflecting a continuum, to inform our understanding of cancer disparities according to the extent of rurality. Methods: Using an ecological cross-sectional design, we examined differences in cancer risk factors and cancer screening behaviors from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and National Health Interview Survey (2008–2013) across rural counties and between rural and urban counties using four rural–urban classification codes for counties and county-equivalents in 2013: U.S. Office of Management and Budget, National Center for Health Statistics, USDA Economic Research Service's rural–urban continuum codes, and Urban Influence Codes. Results: Although a rural-to-urban gradient was not consistently evident across all classification codes, the prevalence of smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and binge alcohol use increased (all ptrend < 0.03), while colorectal, cervical and breast cancer screening decreased (all ptrend < 0.001) with increasing rurality. Differences in the prevalence of risk factors and screening behaviors across rural areas were greater than differences between rural and urban counties for obesity (2.4% vs. 1.5%), physical activity (2.9% vs. 2.5%), binge alcohol use (3.4% vs. 0.4%), cervical cancer screening (6.8% vs. 4.0%), and colorectal cancer screening (4.4% vs. 3.8%). Conclusions: Rural cancer disparities persist across multiple rural–urban classification codes, with marked variation in cancer risk factors and screening evident within rural regions. Focusing only on a rural–urban dichotomy may not sufficiently capture subpopulations of rural residents at greater risk for cancer and cancer-related mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between follicular lymphoma (FL) risk and common modifiable lifestyle factors, specifically smoking, alcohol, body mass index (BMI), and hair dye use. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies published prior to 01 January 2020. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and Web of Science and the reference lists of original studies and review articles. We used random-effects models to generate meta-estimates of relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Twenty-four cohort and ten case–control studies were eligible. Ten articles examined smoking, 11 alcohol, 13 BMI, and four hair dye use and risk of FL. The meta-estimate for current smoking was 1.11 (95% CI 0.92–1.35; I2 = 51%) and there was no significant dose–response per 5-year increase in duration (p-trend = 0.087). Current alcohol intake was inversely associated with FL risk (meta-RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81–0.94; I2 = 0%) and there was a significant dose–response per 5 drinks/week increase in intake (p-trend = 0.008). There was no association with 5 kg/m2 increase in early adulthood BMI (meta-RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.91–1.20; I2 = 7%) or being overweight (meta-RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.92–1.07; I2 = 0%) or obese (meta-RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.99–1.17; I2 = 0%) as an adult. Hair dye use before 1980 was positively associated with FL risk (meta-RR 1.66, 95% CI 1.22–2.25; I2 = 55%) and no evidence of effect after 1980. Conclusion: We found consistent evidence of an inverse association between current alcohol intake and FL risk, and a significant increased risk with hair dye use before 1980. The evidence for smoking is heterogeneous, but most studies did not support an association. Further research is required to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations and the potential for prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a class of clonal neoplastic disorders of largely unknown etiology, and published data remain inconclusive regarding the association between lifetime alcohol consumption and MDS risk. In these analyses, data from a population-based case-control study were used to investigate this association.Methods: Eligible cases of MDS were identified through the Minnesota Cancer Reporting System; controls were matched by sex and age-decile. A central review process was used to confirm MDS diagnosis and classify subtypes. Unconditional and polytomous logistic regression were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare survival by category of lifetime alcohol consumption.Results: In total, 398 cases of MDS and 698 controls were included. Alcohol consumption at 23-30, 31-49, and 50-65 years of age, recent consumption 1 year before diagnosis/interview, and lifetime consumption were not found to be significantly associated with MDS in males (OR range 0.63-0.99) or females (OR range 0.58-1.70). Analysis by MDS subtype further suggested there was not a significant association between recent alcohol consumption and odds of disease by subtype (OR range 0.39-1.13). Lifetime alcohol consumption was not significantly associated with survival after diagnosis of MDS CONCLUSIONS: Previously reported associations between alcohol consumption and MDS risk were inconsistent. Results from our analyses by sex and disease subtype do not support alcohol as a significant contributor to risk of MDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) have explored the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) as an independent risk factor; however, none have investigated the interaction of known risk factors with SES. We examined this using the North Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Study, a population-based case-control study. Incident cases of SCCHN from North Carolina between 2002 and 2006 (n = 1,153) were identified and age, sex, and race-matched controls (n = 1,267) were selected from driver license records. SES measures included household income, educational attainment, and health insurance. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Current smoking was more strongly associated with SCCHN among those households making < $20,000/year [OR 5.11 (3.61-6.61)] compared to household incomes > $50,000/year [OR 2.47 (1.69-3.25); p interaction < 0.001]. Current drinking was more strongly associated with SCCHN in household incomes < $20,000 [OR 2.91 (2.05-3.78)] compared to > $50,000/year [1.28 (0.97-1.58); p interaction < 0.001]. Current drinkers with less than high school education or income < $20,000 had nearly threefold odds of never-drinkers in the same SES category [OR 2.91 (2.05-3.78); 2.09 (1.39-2.78), respectively]. Our results suggest that the relationship of smoking and alcohol use may be stronger among those of lower SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether parental smoking around the time of pregnancy or maternal consumption of beverages (alcohol, coffee, or tea) during pregnancy were associated with the risk of CBT.Methods: We pooled data from two French national population-based case-control studies with similar designs conducted in 2003-2004 and 2010-2011. The mothers of 510 CBT cases (directly recruited from the national childhood cancer register) and 3,102 controls aged under 15 years, frequency matched by age and gender, were interviewed through telephone, which included questions about prenatal parental smoking and maternal consumption of alcohol, coffee and tea. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex and study of origin.Results: No association was seen between CBT and the mother smoking or drinking alcohol, coffee, or tea during the index pregnancy. The OR between CBT and paternal smoking in the year before birth (as reported by the mother) was 1.25 (95% CI 1.03, 1.52) with an OR of 1.09 (0.99, 1.19) for every 10 cigarettes per day (CPD) smoked. The association between paternal smoking and CBT appeared to be stronger in children diagnosed before the age of five years (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.14, 2.02) and for astrocytoma (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.26, 2.74).Conclusion: We found some evidence of a weak association between paternal smoking in the year before the child's birth and CBT, especially astrocytomas. These findings need to be replicated in other samples, using similar classifications of tumour subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alcohol consumption has been purported to influence many diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may be influenced by compounds found in alcohol. In this investigation, we test the hypothesis that total alcohol, beer, wine, and hard liquor influence miRNA expression.Methods: We studied 1447 colorectal (CR) cancer cases with normal CR mucosa and carcinoma miRNA expression data along with alcohol consumption data. We analyzed long-term and long-term and current (LTC) alcohol use for beer, liquor, and wine with miRNA expression between paired carcinoma and normal colon and rectal tissues, adjusting for multiple comparisons using the positive false discovery rate q-value. MiRNAs associated significantly with alcohol were examined with all-cause mortality (ACM). MiRNAs associated significantly with ACM were examined with RNA-Seq data.Results: Expression of 84 miRNAs was associated significantly with LTC wine use in normal rectal mucosa. Higher expression of two of these miRNAs significantly worsened ACM: hsa-miR-210 (Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.12, 95% CI (1.03, 1.21), p-value = 0.004), and hsa-miR-92a-1-5p (HR 1.20, 95% CI (1.04, 1.38), p-value = 0.013). These miRNAs were downregulated across levels of LTC wine consumption.Conclusions: Our results suggest that wine influences miRNA expression in rectal cancer, supporting the hypothesis that components in alcohol influence miRNA expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alcohol intake may be associated with cancer risk, but epidemiologic evidence for prostate cancer is inconsistent. We aimed to prospectively investigate the association between midlife alcohol intake and drinking patterns with future prostate cancer risk and mortality in a population-based cohort of Finnish twins.Methods: Data were drawn from the Older Finnish Twin Cohort and included 11,372 twins followed from 1981 to 2012. Alcohol consumption was assessed by questionnaires administered at two time points over follow-up. Over the study period, 601 incident cases of prostate cancer and 110 deaths from prostate cancer occurred. Cox regression was used to evaluate associations between weekly alcohol intake and binge drinking patterns with prostate cancer risk and prostate cancer-specific mortality. Within-pair co-twin analyses were performed to control for potential confounding by shared genetic and early environmental factors.Results: Compared to light drinkers (≤3 drinks/week; non-abstainers), heavy drinkers (>14 drinks/week) were at a 1.46-fold higher risk (HR 1.46; 95 % CI 1.12, 1.91) of prostate cancer, adjusting for important confounders. Among current drinkers, binge drinkers were at a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer (HR 1.28; 95 % CI 1.06, 1.55) compared to non-binge drinkers. Abstainers were at a 1.90-fold higher risk (HR 1.90; 95 % CI 1.04, 3.47) of prostate cancer-specific mortality compared to light drinkers, but no other significant associations for mortality were found. Co-twin analyses suggested that alcohol consumption may be associated with prostate cancer risk independent of early environmental and genetic factors.Conclusion: Heavy regular alcohol consumption and binge drinking patterns may be associated with increased prostate cancer risk, while abstinence may be associated with increased risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality compared to light alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Risk factors for leukemia and lymphomas in adults are largely unknown. This study was aimed at evaluating the association between lifestyle factors and the risk of hematological malignancies in an adult population.Methods: Data were drawn from a population-based case-control study carried out in Italy and included 294 cases (199 lymphoid and 95 myeloid) and 279 controls. Analyses were performed using standard multivariable logistic regression.Results: Hair dye use for at least 15 years was associated with a higher risk of lymphoid malignancies among females (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.0-4.9, p = 0.036, test for trend). Furthermore, a protective effect of a moderate to heavy tea consumption on the risk of myeloid malignancies was observed (OR 0.4, 95 % CI 0.2-0.9, p = 0.017). No association was found for the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco smoking.Conclusions: Our results confirm the potential carcinogenic effect of prolonged hair dye use observed in previous investigations. The excess risk could be explained by exposure to a higher concentration of toxic compounds in hair products used in the past. The protective effect of regular tea consumption observed in an area with a very high prevalence of black tea consumers deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many modifiable lifestyle factors have been associated with colon cancer risk, but less is known about their effect on disease when considered together. Estimating the proportion of colon cancer cases that could be prevented by the adoption of combined modifiable lifestyle behaviors will provide important insights into disease prevention. Methods: In the Nurses' Health Study, we defined a low-risk group according to a combination of six factors: body mass index <25 kg/m, physical activity of ≥21 metabolic equivalent of task per week, alcohol consumption ≤30 g/day, cigarette smoking <10 pack-years before the age of 30, current use of multivitamins for ≥15 years, and total calcium intake ≥700 mg/day. A composite risk score index was created and the population attributable risk (PAR%) was calculated after accounting for other known risk or protective factors. Results: We documented 1,127 colon cancer cases among 81,092 over 24 years of follow-up. Compared with women in the lowest risk category, the women at all other exposure levels had a hazard ratio of colon cancer of 1.81 (95 % confidence interval 1.15-2.85). The score index was significantly and linearly related to an increasing risk of colon cancer ( p value for trend <0.0001). The PAR% of the six risk factors considered together in relation to colon cancer was 0.37 (95 % CI 0.09-0.60). When regular aspirin use (two tablets/week for six or more years) was included with the other low-risk behaviors, the PAR% increased to 0.43 (95 % CI 0.14-0.65). Conclusions: Beyond the known benefit from colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy, key behavior modifications and adherence to a healthy lifestyle could avoid approximately 37 % of colon cancer cases among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the role of parental smoking during pre-conception and pregnancy, maternal beverage consumption (alcohol, coffee and tea) during pregnancy and their possible interactions, in the etiology of childhood acute leukemia (CL). Methods: The ESTELLE study included 747 cases of CL [636 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 100 cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML)] diagnosed in France in 2010-2011 and 1,421 population controls frequency-matched with the cases on age and gender. Data were obtained from structured telephone questionnaires administered to the mothers. The odds ratios (OR) and their 95 % confidence intervals were estimated using unconditional logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results: AML, but not ALL, was non-significantly associated with alcohol drinking during pregnancy [OR = 1.3 (0.8-2.0)] with a significant positive dose-response trend ( p-trend = 0.02). Pre-conception paternal smoking was significantly associated with ALL [OR = 1.2 (1.1-1.5)] and AML [OR = 1.5 (1.0-2.3)]. CL was not associated with maternal smoking [OR = 1.0 (0.8-1.2)], or maternal coffee [OR = 0.9 (0.8-1.1)] or tea drinking [OR = 0.9 (0.8-1.1)] during pregnancy. However, a high consumption of coffee (>2 cups/day) was significantly associated with ALL [OR = 1.3 (1.0-1.8)]. Conclusions: The findings constitute additional evidence that maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy may be involved in AML, and that paternal smoking before pregnancy may be a risk factor for CL. The role of maternal coffee drinking in CL remains unclear and should be investigated further in consortium analyses and in large birth cohort studies with exposure assessment more contemporaneous with the exposure, before the occurrence of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of major modifiable risk factors for cancer, examine risk factor co-occurrence, and examine how demographic and social factors are associated with risk factor co-occurrence among youth in the COMPASS study. Methods: Data from 23,280 grade 9-12 students in Year 1 (2012-2013) of the COMPASS study were used to examine the prevalence of seven different modifiable risk factors and the co-occurrence of these risk factors by gender and by grade. The between-school variance in the number of risk factors was calculated, and a model was developed to examine how demographic and social factors were associated with the number of co-occurring risk factors. Results: Among youth in this sample, 5.5 % were current smokers, 22.9 % were current binge drinkers, 16.5 % were current marijuana users, 20.0 % were overweight/obese, 53.1 % were physically inactive, 96.7 % were highly sedentary, and 95.1 % had inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption. The mean number of co-occurring risk factors among students was 3.2 (±1.1) and only 0.2 % ( n = 42) reported having none of the risk factors and 0.4 % ( n = 67) reported having all seven risk factors. Significant between-school random variation in the number of co-occurring risk factors was not identified. The number of risk factors was associated with most of the correlates examined although the effect sizes were generally small. Conclusion: This research identifies that risk factor co-occurrence is common, most of student characteristics examined are only modestly associated with the likelihood of co-occurrence and that the school environment is not associated with variability in the number of co-occurring risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although previous research has identified factors that may determine willingness to participate in research, relatively few studies have attempted to quantify the impact non-participation may have on exposure-disease associations. The aims of this study were to (a) investigate the associations between smoking, alcohol, diabetes, obesity, and socioeconomic status and the risk of colorectal cancer in a case-control study (59.7 and 47.2 % response fractions among cases and controls, respectively); and (b) perform sensitivity analyses to examine the possible influence of non-participation. Methods: Logistic regression was used to estimate the exposure-disease associations. We then investigated the associations between various demographic and health factors and the likelihood that an individual would participate in the case-control study and then performed two sensitivity analyses (sampling weights and multiple imputation) to examine whether non-participation bias may have influenced the exposure-disease associations. Results: The exposures alcohol, smoking, and diabetes were associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. We found some differences between cases and controls when examining the factors associated with the participation in the study, and in the sensitivity analyses, the exposure-disease associations were slightly attenuated when compared with those from the original analysis. Conclusion: Non-participation may have biased the risk estimates away from the null, but generally not enough to change the conclusions of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: MAPK genes are activated by a variety of factors related to growth factors, hormones, and environmental stress. Methods: We evaluated associations between 13 MAPK genes and survival among 1,187 nonHispanic White and 1,155 Hispanic/Native American (NA) women diagnosed with breast cancer. We assessed the influence of diet, lifestyle, and genetic ancestry on these associations. Percent NA ancestry was determined from 104 Ancestry Informative Markers. Adaptive rank truncation product (ARTP) was used to determine gene and pathway significance. Results: Associations were predominantly observed among women with lower NA ancestry. Specifically, the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway was associated with all-cause mortality ( P = 0.02), but not with breast cancer-specific mortality ( P = 0.10). However, MAP2K1 and MAP3K9 were associated with both breast cancer-specific and all-cause mortality. MAPK12 ( P = 0.05) was only associated with breast cancer-specific mortality, and MAP3K1 ( P = 0.02) and MAPK1 ( P = 0.05) were only associated with all-cause mortality. Among women with higher NA ancestry, MAP3K2 was significantly associated with all-cause mortality ( P = 0.04). Several diet and lifestyle factors, including alcohol consumption, caloric intake, dietary folate, and cigarette smoking, significantly modified the associations with MAPK genes and all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Our study supports an association between MAPK genes and survival after diagnosis with breast cancer, especially among women with low NA ancestry. The interaction between genetic variation in the MAPK pathway with diet and lifestyle factors for all women supports the important role of these factors for breast cancer survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The relationship between alcohol consumption and preference of alcohol type with hazard of melanoma (MM) and risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) was examined in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study (OS). Methods: A prospective cohort of 59,575 White postmenopausal women in the WHI OS (mean age 63.6) was analyzed. Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression techniques were used to assess the hazard and risk of physician-adjudicated MM and self-reported NMSC, respectively, after adjusting for potential confounders including measures of sun exposure and skin type. Results: Over 10.2 mean years of follow-up, 532 MM cases and 9,593 NMSC cases occurred. A significant relationship between amount of alcohol consumed and both MM and NMSC was observed, with those who consume 7+ drinks per week having a higher hazard of MM (HR 1.64 (1.09, 2.49), p = 0.0013) and higher risk of NMSC (OR 1.23 (1.11, 1.36), p < 0.0001) compared to non-drinkers. Lifetime alcohol consumption was also positively associated with hazard of MM ( p = 0.0011) and risk of NMSC ( p < 0.0001). Further, compared to non-drinkers, a preference for either white wine or liquor was associated with an increased hazard of MM (HR 1.52 (1.02, 2.27) for white wine; HR 1.65 (1.07, 2.55) for liquor) and risk of NMSC (OR 1.16 (1.05, 1.28) for white wine; OR 1.26 (1.13, 1.41) for liquor). Conclusions: Higher current alcohol consumption, higher lifetime alcohol consumption, and a preference for white wine or liquor were associated with increased hazard of MM and risk of NMSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the associations between childhood acute leukemia (AL) and maternal caffeinated beverage consumption during pregnancy, and to explore interactions between caffeinated and alcoholic beverage consumption and polymorphisms of enzymes involved in caffeine and ethanol metabolisms. Methods: The data were generated by the French ESCALE study, which included 764 AL cases and 1,681 controls in 2003-2004. The case and control mothers were interviewed on their consumption habits during pregnancy using a standardized questionnaire. Genotypes of the candidate alleles ( NAT2*5 rs1801280, ADH1C*2 rs698 and rs1693482, CYP2E1*5 rs2031920 and rs3813867) were obtained using high-throughput genotyping and imputation data for 493 AL cases and 549 controls with at least two grandparents born in Europe. Results: Maternal regular coffee consumption during pregnancy was associated with childhood AL (OR = 1.2 [1.0-1.5], p = 0.02); the odds ratios increased linearly with daily intake ( p for trend <0.001; >2 cups per day vs. no or less than 1 cup per week: AL: OR = 1.6 [1.2-2.1], lymphoblastic AL: OR = 1.5 [1.1-2.0], myeloblastic AL: OR = 2.4 [1.3-4.3]). The association was slightly more marked for children born to non-smoking mothers. Lymphoblastic AL was also associated with cola soda drinking (OR = 1.3 [1.0-1.5], p = 0.02). No significant gene-environment interactions with coffee, tea, cola soda, or alcohol drinking were observed. Conclusion: This study provides additional evidence that maternal coffee consumption during pregnancy may be associated with childhood AL. Coffee consumption is a prevalent habit and its potential involvement in childhood AL needs to be considered further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Tobacco and alcohol use are well-known risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), but there has been little examination of disparities in SCCHN and racial patterns of tobacco and alcohol use, especially for African-Americans. The Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study, a population-based case-control study, was utilized to determine whether relationships between tobacco and alcohol use and SCCHN differed by race. Methods: Using a rapid case ascertainment system, cases were recruited from 46 contiguous counties in North Carolina from 2002 to 2006. Controls, selected from motor vehicle records, were frequency-matched to cases on age, sex, and race. This analysis was based on 989 white and 351 African-American cases and 1,114 white and 264 African-American controls. Analyses were performed using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, race, education, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Results: The association between SCCHN and ever tobacco use among African-Americans (odds ratio (OR), 9.68; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 4.70, 19.9) was much greater than that observed in whites (OR, 1.94; 95 % CI, 1.51, 2.50). Smaller differences were observed when examining ever alcohol use (African-Americans: OR, 3.71; CI, 1.65, 8.30, and Whites: OR, 1.31: CI 0.96, 1.78). African-Americans consistently had greater effect measure estimates when examining common levels of duration and intensity metrics of tobacco and alcohol use, both independently and jointly. No racial differences in the effects of environmental (passive) tobacco smoke were observed. Conclusions: These findings suggest racial differences in SCCHN are not solely explained by differences in consumption patterns, and tobacco and alcohol may have greater impact in African-Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alcohol consumption may be a modifiable risk factor for prostate cancer, but previous results have been inconsistent and limited by a lack of data on lifetime exposure and specific beverages. Furthermore, the effect of tumor stage and severity of disease on the association between alcohol and prostate cancer risk has not been fully investigated. Methods: We examined the relation between both current and lifetime alcohol intake and prostate cancer risk in a population-based case-control study in Alberta, Canada with 947 cases with stage T2 and higher prostate cancer diagnosed between 1997 and 2000 and frequency matched to 1,039 controls, identified through random digit dialing. Cases were classified on cancer stage and severity into 619 non-aggressive (Stage II and Gleason score <8) and 328 aggressive cases (Stage III/IV or Gleason score ≥8). In-person interviews were completed on current and lifetime history of alcohol consumption and all other prostate cancer risk factors. Results: Current alcohol intake did not increase prostate cancer risk but lifetime intake increased risk for both non-aggressive and aggressive cases, with an odds ratio of 1.78 (95 % CI 1.19-2.66) and 2.00 (95 % CI 1.19-3.36), respectively, for the highest intake quartile compared to non-drinkers with evidence for a linear trend. Associations with alcohol intake remained after exclusion of non-drinkers for non-aggressive prostate cancer cases. Only lifetime beer intake was significantly associated with increased risk, however, intakes of liquor and wine by participants were low. Conclusions: Results support the evidence for an increased risk of prostate cancer from lifetime alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy and brain tumors (CBTs) are the leading cause of cancer death in children. In our Australian case-control studies of these cancers, we investigated whether parental alcohol consumption before or during pregnancy was associated with risk. Methods: Cases were identified through the ten Australian pediatric oncology centers, and controls were recruited through national random-digit dialling. Detailed information on alcohol consumption, including beverage type, amount, and timing, was collected from 690 case families (388 ALL and 302 CBT) and 1,396 control families. Data were analyzed using unconditional logistic regression. Results: We found no evidence that maternal alcohol use before or during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of either cancer; rather, there was evidence of inverse associations, particularly with wine. For both cancers, we observed U-shaped associations with paternal alcohol consumption in the year before the pregnancy, possibly driven by reduced risk at moderate levels of beer and wine intake and increased risk associated with high levels of beer intake. Moderate intake of spirits by fathers was associated with an increased risk of CBT but not ALL. These findings would be strengthened by corroboration in other studies. While the inverse associations with wine may be interesting mechanistically, the public health message remains that maternal alcohol use during pregnancy causes serious disorders in the offspring and should be avoided. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that men, as well as women, should limit their alcohol intake when planning a pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of data on risk factors (RFs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comes from studies involving populations without underlying liver disease. It is important to evaluate RFs for HCC in patients with chronic liver disease since HCC rarely occurs in those without underlying liver disease. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study of 259 incident HCC cases and 781 controls by convenience sampling between 02/2001 and 12/2009 from the liver clinic at Stanford University Medical Center. The study population was 41% White, 14% Hispanic, 3% African American, 40% Asian American, and 2% other race/ethnicity. RFs were examined through medical records and an in-person questionnaire. Alcohol and tobacco use was calculated by cumulative grams of alcohol or cumulative pack(s) of cigarette consumed over one's lifetime. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was defined by random glucose level of ≥200 mg/dL. RFs were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. Independent predictors of HCC risk, after mutual adjustment and additional control for alcohol use, etiology of liver diseases, and DM, included age >40 (OR = 8.5 [2.6-28.3]), male gender (OR = 3.5 [2.2-5.8]), presence of cirrhosis (OR = 2.8 [1.6-4.9]), Asian ethnicity (OR = 2.8 [1.8-4.6]), AFP > 50 (OR = 4.2 [2.6-6.8]), and cumulative lifetime tobacco use of >11,000 packs (OR = 1.7 [1.0-2.9]). Heavy prolonged cigarette smoking, but not alcohol use, was a significant independent predictor for HCC in patients with underlying liver disease. Besides older age, male gender, presence of cirrhosis, and elevated AFP, Asian ethnicity and heavy cumulative tobacco use are strong independent predictors of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT; including oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus) have high incidence rates all over the world, and they are especially frequent in some parts of Latin America. However, the data on the role of the major risk factors in these areas are still limited. Methods: We have evaluated the role of alcohol and tobacco consumption, based on 2,252 upper aerodigestive squamous-cell carcinoma cases and 1,707 controls from seven centres in Brazil, Argentina, and Cuba. Results: We show that alcohol drinkers have a risk of UADT cancers that is up to five times higher than that of never-drinkers. A very strong effect of aperitifs and spirits as compared to other alcohol types was observed, with the ORs reaching 12.76 (CI 5.37-30.32) for oesophagus. Tobacco smokers were up to six times more likely to develop aerodigestive cancers than never-smokers, with the ORs reaching 11.14 (7.72-16.08) among current smokers for hypopharynx and larynx cancer. There was a trend for a decrease in risk after quitting alcohol drinking or tobacco smoking for all sites. The interactive effect of alcohol and tobacco was more than multiplicative. In this study, 65% of all UADT cases were attributable to a combined effect of alcohol and tobacco use. Conclusions: In this largest study on UADT cancer in Latin America, we have shown for the first time that a prevailing majority of UADT cancer cases is due to a combined effect of alcohol and tobacco use and could be prevented by quitting the use of either of these two agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between alcohol and cancer death has not been well established in Asian population, particularly among women. Method: We evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and all-cause and cancer mortality in a large-scale prospective study of 1,341,393 Korean men and women aged 40-69 years who participated in health examination in 2000. After 5 years follow-up for mortality (2001-2005), 19,375 deaths were identified, and Cox regression was used for longitudinal analyses. Results: The J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and all-cause and all-cancer mortality was found in men. However, heavy drinking was positively associated with the risk of all-cause and all-cancer mortality in men and women. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with the risk of cancer mortality such as cancers of liver, stomach, colorectal, prostate, esophageal, brain, and larynx and cancer of lips, oral cavity, pharynx in men and increased the risk of all-cancer and colorectal cancer mortality in women. Kidney cancer mortality was inversely associated with alcohol consumption in men. Conclusion: Heavy drinking showed an increased mortality risk of all-cause, all-cancer, and several cancers in men and women. There was no favorable effect of light drinking on all-cause and all-cancer mortality for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the mediating effect of childhood abuse on sexual orientation disparities in tobacco and alcohol use during adolescence.Methods: We carried out analyses with data from over 62,000 women in the ongoing Nurses' Health Study II cohort who provided information on sexual orientation, childhood abuse occurring by age 11, and tobacco and alcohol use in adolescence. We used multivariate regression analyses, controlling for confounders, to estimate the mediating effect of childhood abuse on the association between sexual orientation and tobacco and alcohol use in adolescence.Results: Lesbian and bisexual orientation and childhood abuse were positively associated with greater risk of tobacco and alcohol use during adolescence. For lesbians, the estimated proportion of excess tobacco and alcohol use in adolescence relative to use among heterosexual women that was mediated by abuse in childhood ranged from 7 to 18%; for bisexual women, the estimated proportion of excess use mediated by abuse ranged from 6 to 13%.Conclusions: Elevated childhood abuse in lesbian and bisexual women partially mediated excess tobacco and alcohol use in adolescence relative to heterosexual women. Interventions to prevent child abuse may reduce sexual orientation disparities in some of the leading causes of cancer in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 ≤7, 1.27 (95% CI 0.86–1.87) for 8–14, and 1.19 (95% CI 0.80–1.77) for ≥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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluated the associations of smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity with sex steroid hormone concentrations among 1,275 men > or =20 years old who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).Methods: Serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were measured. We compared geometric mean concentrations across levels of smoking, alcohol, and physical activity using multiple linear regression.Results: Current smokers had higher total testosterone (5.42, 5.10, and 5.26 ng/ml in current, former, and never smokers), free testosterone (0.110, 0.102, and 0.104 ng/ml), total estradiol (40.0, 34.5, and 33.5 pg/ml), and free estradiol (1.05, 0.88, and 0.84 pg/ml) compared with former and never smokers (all p < or = 0.05). Men who consumed > or =1 drink/day had lower SHBG than men who drank less frequently (31.5 vs. 34.8 nmol/l, p = 0.01); total (p-trend = 0.08) and free testosterone (p-trend = 0.06) increased with number of drinks per day. Physical activity was positively associated with total (p-trend = 0.01) and free testosterone (p-trend = 0.05).Conclusions: In this nationally representative sample of men, smoking, alcohol, and physical activity were associated with hormones and SHBG, thus these factors should be considered as possible confounders or upstream variables in studies of hormones and men's health, including prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To report on the prevalence, clustering, and correlates of behavioral risk factors for cancer in the Queensland, Australia, population. The Queensland Cancer Risk Study was a population-based survey of 9419 Queensland residents aged 20–75 years. Information was collected through anonymous computer-assisted telephone interviews between February and November 2004. Prevalence of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, sun exposure, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, weighted by age, gender, and geographic region. The majority of respondents reported between two and four cancer risk behaviors (79.4%). Men, those younger than 59 years and those with lower educational attainment had more than twofold increased odds of reporting multiple cancer risk factors. Marital status and geographic region were moderately associated with cancer risk. Smoking, high levels of alcohol consumption, and sun exposure were associated with up to twofold increased odds of engaging in multiple additional risk factors. This study identified key subgroups of the Queensland population with increased odds of engaging in multiple risk behaviors for cancer, particularly younger men and people with lower educational attainment. Individual behavioral risk factors can also exert a significant impact on the overall risk profile, and this may be a useful consideration for public health campaigns that target key health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective??Most epidemiologic studies have suggested an increased risk of breast cancer with increasing alcohol intake. Using data from 274,688 women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC), we investigated the relation between alcohol intake and the risk of breast cancer.Methods??Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) based on Cox proportional hazard models were calculated using reported intake of alcohol, recent (at baseline) and lifetime exposure. We adjusted for known risk factors and stratified according to study center as well as potentially modifying host factors.Results??During 6.4 years of follow up, 4,285 invasive cases of breast cancer within the age group 35?75 years were identified. For all countries together the IRR per 10 g/day higher recent alcohol intake (continuous) was 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01?1.05). When adjusted, no association was seen between lifetime alcohol intake and risk of breast cancer. No difference in risk was shown between users and non-users of HRT, and there was no significant interaction between alcohol intake and BMI, HRT or dietary folate.Conclusion??This large European study supports previous findings that recent alcohol intake increases the risk of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives: To prospectively assess the influence of body mass index (BMI), tobacco, and alcohol on the occurrence of esophageal, gastric cardia, and non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma, and to detect any sex differences that could explain the male predominance of these tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the risk of gastric cancer associated with alcohol consumption and smoking in men and women in Moscow, Russia.Materials and Methods: A case-control study which includes 448 cases and 610 controls was conducted. Cases consisted of patients with newly diagnosed histologically confirmed gastric cancer. Controls were patients admitted during the study period to the hospital with diagnoses other than cancer and/or gastrointestinal diseases. Information on demographic variables, smoking, alcohol consumption and diet was collected from all subjects. Venous blood was drawn from 361 cases and 441 controls. A serological test for Helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin G was performed.Results: Alcohol consumption, particularly vodka consumption, was found to increase the risk of gastric cancer. In men the effect of hard liquor drinking was stronger for cancer of the cardia (OR = 3.4, CI = 1.2-10.2), while in women the effect was stronger for cancer of sites other than gastric cardia (OR = 1.5, CI = 1.0-2.3). Smoking increased the risk of developing gastric cancer in men, but not in women. In men a dose-response relationship between mean number of cigarettes smoked per day (p = 0.03), pack-years of cigarettes smoked (p = 0.01) and duration of smoking (p = 0.08) and the risk of cancer of gastric cardia was observed. Further statistical analysis revealed interactions between effect of smoking and alcohol consumption and between smoking and H. pylori infection status.Conclusions: The findings further support the role of alcohol consumption and smoking in the etiology of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate whether the fivefold greater incidence rate of squamous-cell esophageal cancer in Black compared with White men is due to type of alcoholic beverage consumed or to other qualitative differences in alcohol consumption, we conducted a population-based case-control study with 373 males diagnosed with squamous-cell esophageal cancer (124 Whites and 249 Blacks) and 1,364 male controls (750 Whites and 614 Blacks) from three geographic areas in the United States. Included were all histologically confirmed cases newly diagnosed from 1 August 1986 through 30 April 1989, among White and Black men aged 30 to 79 years. Risks varied to some extent according to type of alcohol used, with beer a stronger contributor in Whites, and wine and liquor stronger contributors in Blacks. However, most of the differences in the odds ratios by type of alcohol and race were eliminated after controlling for average weekly amount of total alcohol consumed. Thus, while alcohol use in all forms is an important risk factor for squamous-cell esophageal cancer in Whites and Blacks, type of alcoholic beverage used does not appear to account for the racial differences in incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, the incidence rates of multiple myeloma in Blacks are more than twice those in Whites, but the etiology of this cancer is poorly understood. A population-based case-control interview study of 571 subjects (365 White, 206 Black) with multiple myeloma and 2,122 controls (1,155 White, 967 Black) living in three areas of the United States (Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey) offered the opportunity to investigate the relationship with smoking and alcohol drinking and to evaluate whether these factors might contribute to the excess risk of multiple myeloma in Blacks. For Blacks and Whites of either gender, there were no significantly elevated risks associated with ever use of cigarettes or alcoholic beverages and no consistent patterns with either intensity or duration of use. These data support previous studies indicating that smoking and drinking are not related causally to the risk of multiple myeloma, and thus cannot account for the racial disparity in incidence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]