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Alcohol and risk of lung cancer among Japanese men: data from a large-scale population-based cohort study, the JPHC study

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Abstract

Objective

Although large-scale studies, including meta-analyses, on the association between alcohol consumption and lung cancer have been reported, the risk of lung cancer in extremely high consumption groups (≥450 g ethanol/week) in both current smokers and nonsmokers remains unclear. Here, we investigated the association between alcohol consumption and lung cancer incidence.

Methods

We conducted a population-based prospective cohort study in 46,347 Japanese men aged 40–69 years with no history of cancer at baseline in 1990–1994. We used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of lung cancer incidence according to alcohol consumption.

Results

During the 14-year follow-up period, we documented 651 cases of lung cancer. We found a positive association between alcohol consumption and lung cancer risk confined to current smokers. Compared with occasional drinkers, the multivariate HRs (95% CI) in the highest category (≥450 g ethanol/week) were 1.31 (0.89–1.94) among total participants, 0.58 (0.26–1.30) (p for trend = 0.49) among nonsmokers, and 1.69 (1.05–2.72) (p for trend = 0.02) among current smokers.

Conclusions

Among this population with a large variation in alcohol consumption, alcohol consumption was not an independent risk factor for lung cancer except for current smokers.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all staff members in each study area for their efforts in the conduct of the baseline and follow-up surveys. We also thank the Iwate, Aomori, Ibaraki, Niigata, Osaka, Kochi, Nagasaki and Okinawa Cancer Registries for providing the incidence data. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Cancer Research and for the Third Term Comprehensive Control Research for Cancer from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. Funding/Support: This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Cancer Research and for the Third-Term Comprehensive Control Research for Cancer from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Taichi Shimazu, Manami Inoue, Shizuka Sasazuki, Motoki Iwasaki, Norie Kurahashi, Taiki Yamaji & Shoichiro Tsugane

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  1. Taichi Shimazu
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  2. Manami Inoue
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  3. Shizuka Sasazuki
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  4. Motoki Iwasaki
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  7. Shoichiro Tsugane
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Consortia

The JPHC Study Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Taichi Shimazu.

Additional information

Study group members are listed in the Appendix.

Appendix

Appendix

Members of the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study (JPHC Study, principal investigator: S. Tsugane) Group are: S. Tsugane, M. Inoue, T. Sobue, and T. Hanaoka, National Cancer Center, Tokyo; J. Ogata, S. Baba, T. Mannami, A. Okayama, and Y. Kokubo, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka; K. Miyakawa, F. Saito, A. Koizumi, Y. Sano, I. Hashimoto, and T. Ikuta, Iwate Prefectural Ninohe Public Health Center, Iwate; Y. Miyajima, N. Suzuki, S. Nagasawa, Y. Furusugi, and N. Nagai, Akita Prefectural Yokote Public Health Center, Akita; H. Sanada, Y. Hatayama, F. Kobayashi, H. Uchino, Y. Shirai, T. Kondo, R. Sasaki, Y. Watanabe, Y. Miyagawa, and Y. Kobayashi, Nagano Prefectural Saku Public Health Center, Nagano; Y. Kishimoto, E. Takara, T. Fukuyama, M. Kinjo, M. Irei, and H. Sakiyama, Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Public Health Center, Okinawa; K. Imoto, H. Yazawa, T. Seo, A. Seiko, F. Ito, and F. Shoji, Katsushika Public Health Center, Tokyo; A. Murata, K. Minato, K. Motegi, and T. Fujieda, Ibaraki Prefectural Mito Public Health Center, Ibaraki; K. Matsui, T. Abe, M. Katagiri, and M. Suzuki, Niigata Prefectural Kashiwazaki and Nagaoka Public Health Center, Niigata; M. Doi, A. Terao, Y. Ishikawa, and T. Tagami, Kochi Prefectural Chuo-higashi Public Health Center, Kochi; H. Sueta, H. Doi, M. Urata, N. Okamoto, and F. Ide, Nagasaki Prefectural Kamigoto Public Health Center, Nagasaki; H. Sakiyama, N. Onga, H. Takaesu, and M. Uehara, Okinawa Prefectural Miyako Public Health Center, Okinawa; F. Horii, I. Asano, H. Yamaguchi, K. Aoki, S. Maruyama, M. Ichii, and M. Takano, Osaka Prefectural Suita Public Health Center, Osaka; Y. Tsubono, Tohoku University, Miyagi; K. Suzuki, Research Institute for Brain and Blood Vessels Akita, Akita; Y. Honda, K. Yamagishi, and S. Sakurai, Tsukuba University, Ibaraki; M. Kabuto, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki; M. Yamaguchi, Y. Matsumura, S. Sasaki, and S. Watanabe, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo; M. Akabane, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo; T. Kadowaki, Tokyo University, Tokyo; M. Noda, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo; Y. Kawaguchi, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo; Y. Takashima, Kyorin University, Tokyo; K. Nakamura, Niigata University, Niigata; S. Matsushima and S. Natsukawa, Saku General Hospital, Nagano; H. Shimizu, Sakihae Institute, Gifu; H. Sugimura, Hamamatsu University, Shizuoka; S. Tominaga, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Aichi; H. Iso, Osaka University, Osaka; M. Iida, W. Ajiki, and A. Ioka, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka; S. Sato, Osaka Medical Center for Health Science and Promotion, Osaka; E. Maruyama, Kobe University, Hyogo; M. Konishi, K. Okada, and I. Saito, Ehime University, Ehime; N. Yasuda, Kochi University, Kochi; and S. Kono, Kyushu University, Fukuoka.

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Shimazu, T., Inoue, M., Sasazuki, S. et al. Alcohol and risk of lung cancer among Japanese men: data from a large-scale population-based cohort study, the JPHC study. Cancer Causes Control 19, 1095–1102 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9173-2

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