Drinking alcohol raises pancreatic cancer risk

A study reported in the May 1 2009 issue of American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that drinking too much alcohol may increase risk of pancreatic cancer.

The study showed that heavy alcohol drinkers were 45 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer and heavy liquor drinkers were 62 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease compared to those who drank lightly or less than 1 drink per day. Heavy drinkers were those who drank 3 or more cups or 40 or more grams of alcohol each day.

L Jiao from the National Cancer Institute and colleagues examined the relation between alcohol use and risk of pancreatic cancer among 470,681 men and women aged 50 to 71 in 1995 and 1996 in the US National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health study. Through December 2003, 1,149 exocrine pancreatic cancer cases were identified.

Non-smokers who drank 3 or more cups of alcohol a day had their risk of pancreatic cancer increased by 35 percent and among people who quit smoking 10 or more years prior to participating in the study, the risk for the heavy drinkers was increased by 41 percent.

The researchers concluded that "These findings suggest a moderately increased pancreatic cancer risk with heavy alcohol use, particularly liquor; however, residual confounding by cigarette smoking cannot be completely excluded."

(David Liu)