@article{3089597, title = "Lifetime and baseline alcohol intake and risk of cancer of the upper aero-digestive tract in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC) study", author = "Weikert, C. and Dietrich, T. and Boeing, H. and Bergmann, M.M. and Boutron-Ruault, M.C. and Clavel-Chapelon, F. and Allen, N. and Key, T. and Lund, E. and Olsen, A. and Tjønneland, A. and Overvad, K. and Rohrmann, S. and Linseisen, J. and Pischon, T. and Trichopoulou, A. and Weinehall, L. and Johansson, I. and Sánchez, M.-J. and Agudo, A. and Barricarte, A. and Amiano, P. and Chirlaque, M.-D. and Quirós, J.R. and Wirfalt, E. and Peeters, P.H. and Bueno-de-Mesquita, H.B. and Vrieling, A. and Pala, V. and Palli, D. and Vineis, P. and Tumino, R. and Panico, S. and Bingham, S. and Khaw, K.-T. and Norat, T. and Jenab, M. and Ferrari, P. and Slimani, N. and Riboli, E.", journal = "International Journal of Cancer", year = "2009", volume = "125", number = "2", pages = "406-412", issn = "0020-7136", doi = "10.1002/ijc.24393", keywords = "alcohol consumption; article; cancer incidence; cancer risk; controlled study; esophagus carcinoma; female; gastrointestinal carcinoma; human; hypopharynx carcinoma; larynx carcinoma; major clinical study; male; oropharynx carcinoma; priority journal; prospective study; risk assessment; risk factor; sex difference; smoking; squamous cell carcinoma; tongue carcinoma; drinking behavior; esophagus tumor; Europe; larynx tumor; mouth tumor; pharynx cancer; proportional hazards model; squamous cell carcinoma, Alcohol Drinking; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Esophageal Neoplasms; Europe; Female; Humans; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Male; Mouth Neoplasms; Pharyngeal Neoplasms; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors", abstract = "Recent alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the upper aero-digestive tract. In contrast, the role of lifetime exposure to alcohol with regard to risk of SCC is not well established. Historical data on alcohol use are available in 271,253 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). During 2,330,381 person years, 392 incident SCC cases (279 men and 113 women) were identified. Cox regression was applied to model sex-specific associations between lifetime alcohol intake and SCC risk adjusting for potential confounders including smoking. Compared to men who drank 0.1-6.0 g/day alcohol at lifetime, the relative risks (RR) for developing SCC were significantly increased for men who drank 30.1-60.0 g/day (RR 1.65, 95% confidence interval: 1.00-2.71), 60.1-96.0 g/day (RR 2.20, 95%CI 1.23-3.95), and >96.0 g/day, (RR 4.63, 95% CI 2.52-8.48), and for former drinkers (RR 4.14, 95%CI 2.38-7.19). These risk estimates did not considerably change when baseline alcohol intake was analyzed. Compared to women who drank 0.1-6.0 g/day alcohol intake at lifetime, the RR were significantly increased for women who drank >30 g/d (RR 6.05, 95%CI 2.98-12.3). Applying similar categories, the relative risk for baseline alcohol intake was 3.26 (95%CI 1.82-5.87). We observed a stronger association between alcohol intake at lifetime and risk of SCC in women compared to men (p for interaction 5 0.045). The strong dose-response relation for lifetime alcohol use underscores that alcohol is an important risk factor of SCC of the upper aero-digestive tract throughout life. © 2009 UICC." }