Lifetime and baseline alcohol intakes and risk of pancreatic cancer

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study investigated the association between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk, including the type of alcoholic beverage and potential interaction with smoking. The 1238 participants who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, were evaluated for amount of lifetime and baseline alcohol intake through lifestyle and dietary questionnaires. Alcohol intake was positively associated with pancreatic cancer risk in men and the associations were mainly driven by extreme alcohol levels. There were larger risk estimates for beer (>40g/day) and spirits (>10g/day) compared to wine. In women, the estimates did not reach statistical significance. The alcohol and pancreatic cancer risk was not modified by smoking status. This study shows a moderate but significant increase in pancreatic cancer risk with high alcohol intakes and should be considered in future public health campaigns. Read the full article
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