This study sought to examine relationships between alcohol comsumption and mortality and cancer incidence in the Kangwha cohort. From March 1985 through December 1999, 2,696 males and 3,595 females aged 55 or over as of 1985 were followed up for their cancer incidence and mortality. We calculate the mortality
risk ratios and the cancer incidence risk ratios by level of alcohol consumption.
Cox proportional hazard model was used to adjust age at entry, smoking, medical security status, hypertension and body mass index.
Among males, compared to abstainer, drinker had higher mortality in all cause(risk ratio:RR=1.12), pancreas cancer(RR=8.54), digestive organ cancer (RR=1.45) and lower mortality in lung cancer(RR=0.47). Heavy drinker had higher mortality in all cause(RR=1.35), esophageal cancer(RR=5.77), circulatory system(RR=1.52) and cerebrovascular disease(RR=1.66).
Heavy drinker had higher cancer incidence in esophagus(RR=3.76),
pancreas(RR=7.42), digestive organ(RR=1.50) and lower cancer incidence in lung(RR=0.56).
Among females, there was no statistically significant association between alcohol comsumption and mortality or cancer incidence.
The results of this study suggest that alcohol drinking has harmful effect on esophageal cancer and digestive organ cancer incidences and protective effect on lung cancer incidence among males. This finding needs to be confirmed in further studies.
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Key words : drinking, alcohol consumption, mortality, cancer incidence