Nutr Res Pract.  2019 Oct;13(5):425-433. 10.4162/nrp.2019.13.5.425.

Alcohol consumption and gastric cancer risk in Korea: a case-control study

• Kim MH
• Kim SA
• Park CH
• Eun CS
• Han DS
• Kim YS
• Song KS
• Choi BY
• Kim HJ

• KMID: 2464122
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2019.13.5.425

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
The International Agency for Research on Cancer defined alcohol beverages and acetaldehyde derived from alcoholic beverages as a Group 1 carcinogen to humans. However, the association between alcohol consumption and gastric cancer risk has been controversial in Korean. We assessed the relationship between alcohol consumption and gastric cancer risk in Korea through a case-control study.
SUBJECTS/METHODS
From 2 hospitals, a total of 316 cases with gastric cancer (208 men, 108 women) were selected and matched to 316 controls by sex and age (± 5 years) during the same duration. The current status, frequency, and amount of alcohol consumption for a year three years ago were assessed by trained interviewers.
RESULTS
Alcohol consumption status and frequency did not show any significant association with gastric cancer risk. However, high alcohol consumption (≥ 20 g/day for women or ≥ 40 g/day for men) significantly increased the risk of gastric cancer (odds ratio (OR) 1.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.85). Gastric cancer risk was strongly positively associated with alcohol consumption of ≥ 20 g/day, especially in women (OR 5.62; 95% CI 1.32-23.81).
CONCLUSION
The results from this study suggest that excessive alcohol consumption rather than the current status or frequency of alcohol consumption contributes to the increased risk of gastric cancer, especially in women.

Keyword

Gastric cancer; alcohol drinking; case-control study; sex; Korea

MeSH Terms

Acetaldehyde
Alcohol Drinking*
Alcoholic Beverages
Beverages
Case-Control Studies*
Female
Humans
International Agencies
Korea*
Male
Stomach Neoplasms*
Acetaldehyde

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