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Case–control study of lifetime alcohol intake and prostate cancer risk

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Abstract

Purpose

Alcohol consumption may be a modifiable risk factor for prostate cancer, but previous results have been inconsistent and limited by a lack of data on lifetime exposure and specific beverages. Furthermore, the effect of tumor stage and severity of disease on the association between alcohol and prostate cancer risk has not been fully investigated.

Methods

We examined the relation between both current and lifetime alcohol intake and prostate cancer risk in a population-based case–control study in Alberta, Canada with 947 cases with stage T2 and higher prostate cancer diagnosed between 1997 and 2000 and frequency matched to 1,039 controls, identified through random digit dialing. Cases were classified on cancer stage and severity into 619 non-aggressive (Stage II and Gleason score <8) and 328 aggressive cases (Stage III/IV or Gleason score ≥8). In-person interviews were completed on current and lifetime history of alcohol consumption and all other prostate cancer risk factors.

Results

Current alcohol intake did not increase prostate cancer risk but lifetime intake increased risk for both non-aggressive and aggressive cases, with an odds ratio of 1.78 (95 % CI 1.19–2.66) and 2.00 (95 % CI 1.19–3.36), respectively, for the highest intake quartile compared to non-drinkers with evidence for a linear trend. Associations with alcohol intake remained after exclusion of non-drinkers for non-aggressive prostate cancer cases. Only lifetime beer intake was significantly associated with increased risk, however, intakes of liquor and wine by participants were low.

Conclusions

Results support the evidence for an increased risk of prostate cancer from lifetime alcohol consumption.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the Medical Research Council of Canada and the Alberta Cancer Board Research Initiative Program. S.E. McGregor was funded by a Population Health Investigator Award from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) while conducting this research study. C.M. Friedenreich was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Award and a Health Scholar Award from the AHFMR. K.S. Courneya is supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program. A Research Team Grant from the National Cancer Institute of Canada with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society supports the research program of C.M. Friedenreich and K.S. Courneya. Kathleen Douglas-England, Valerie Hudson, Melanie Keats and Aleata Rhyorchuk were responsible for the study coordination. Lisa Alexander, Michelle Clark, Barry Clattenburg, Pearl Cooke, Linda Davison, Marilyn Dickson, Doreen Mandziuk, Jodi Parrotta, and Nicole Slot conducted interviews and recruited participants. Dorothy Allred, Sarah Forrester, and Vicki Wannop did the data entry and verification. Yvonne LeBlanc abstracted the medical chart data. Xuechao Chen, Zhi Tan, and Qinggang Wang conducted the data analysis and Gaia Pocobelli and Carmen Ng assisted with manuscript preparation. Steven Anygalfi participated in the study design and data collection procedures.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Population Health Research, Alberta Health Services-Cancer Care, Box ACB, 2210-2nd St SW, Calgary, AB, T2S 3C3, Canada

    S. Elizabeth McGregor, Karen A. Kopciuk, Cedomir Tosevski & Christine M. Friedenreich

  2. Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Kerry S. Courneya

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  1. S. Elizabeth McGregor
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  2. Kerry S. Courneya
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Correspondence to S. Elizabeth McGregor.

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McGregor, S.E., Courneya, K.S., Kopciuk, K.A. et al. Case–control study of lifetime alcohol intake and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Causes Control 24, 451–461 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-0131-7

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