OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between alcohol consumption habit, types of beverages, alcohol consumption quantity, and overall and cancer-specific mortality among Korean adults. METHODS: The alcohol consumption information of a total of 16 320 participants who were 20 years or older from the Korean Multi-center Cancer Cohort were analyzed to examine the association between alcohol consumption habit and mortality (median follow-up of 9.3 years). The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of alcohol consumption to mortality adjusting for age, sex, geographic areas, education, smoking status, and body mass index. RESULTS: Alcohol drinkers showed an increased risk for total mortality compared with never drinkers (HR, 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38 to 2.14 for past drinkers; HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.39 for current drinkers), while past drinkers only were associated with higher risk for cancer deaths (HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.34 to 2.53). The quantity of alcohol consumed per week showed a J-shaped association with risk of mortality. Relative to light drinkers (0.01 to 90 g/wk), never drinkers and heavy drinkers (>504 g/wk) had an increased risk for all-cause and cancer deaths: (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.45) and (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.83) for all-cause mortality; and (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.11) and (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.39 to 3.09) for all cancer mortality, respectively. Heavy drinkers (>504 g/wk) showed an elevated risk for death from stomach and liver cancers. CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports the existence of a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption quantity and the risk of all-cause and cancer deaths. Heavy drinkers had an increased risk of death from cancer overall and liver and stomach cancer.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects/*mortality ; Analysis of Variance ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms/etiology/*mortality ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efficacy of surveillance for esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains controversial. Our study aimed to provide clinical data concerning the necessity of surveillance for detecting early ESCN in patients with HNSCC. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data from 714 patients who were pathologically confirmed as having HNSCC (n=236 oral cavity cancers, 137 oropharyngeal cancers, 87 hypopharyngeal cancers, and 254 laryngeal cancers). RESULTS: Of 714 patients, during a median follow-up of 31 months, 48 ESCNs (37 synchronous and 11 metachronous) were detected in 36 patients (5%). Fifteen synchronous lesions (40.3%) were early ESCN, whereas nine metachronous lesions (81.8%) were early ESCN. The 3-year survival rates of HNSCC only and HNSCC combined with ESCN were 71.2% and 48.2%, respectively (p<0.001). Among 36 patients with ESCN, the 3-year survival rates for early and advanced ESCN were 77.7% and 21.7%, respectively (p=0.01). In the multivariate analysis, alcohol consumption and hypopharyngeal cancer were significant factors associated with the development of ESCN. CONCLUSIONS: HNSCC patients with early ESCN were similar in prognosis with patients without ESCN, in contrast to patients with advanced ESCN. Therefore, surveillance for the early detection of ESCN in patients with HNSCC, especially in alcohol drinkers and those with hypopharyngeal cancer, is warranted.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*diagnosis/mortality/*pathology/*secondary ; Early Detection of Cancer/*statistics & numerical data ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/mortality/*secondary ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efficacy of surveillance for esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains controversial. Our study aimed to provide clinical data concerning the necessity of surveillance for detecting early ESCN in patients with HNSCC. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data from 714 patients who were pathologically confirmed as having HNSCC (n=236 oral cavity cancers, 137 oropharyngeal cancers, 87 hypopharyngeal cancers, and 254 laryngeal cancers). RESULTS: Of 714 patients, during a median follow-up of 31 months, 48 ESCNs (37 synchronous and 11 metachronous) were detected in 36 patients (5%). Fifteen synchronous lesions (40.3%) were early ESCN, whereas nine metachronous lesions (81.8%) were early ESCN. The 3-year survival rates of HNSCC only and HNSCC combined with ESCN were 71.2% and 48.2%, respectively (p<0.001). Among 36 patients with ESCN, the 3-year survival rates for early and advanced ESCN were 77.7% and 21.7%, respectively (p=0.01). In the multivariate analysis, alcohol consumption and hypopharyngeal cancer were significant factors associated with the development of ESCN. CONCLUSIONS: HNSCC patients with early ESCN were similar in prognosis with patients without ESCN, in contrast to patients with advanced ESCN. Therefore, surveillance for the early detection of ESCN in patients with HNSCC, especially in alcohol drinkers and those with hypopharyngeal cancer, is warranted.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*diagnosis/mortality/*pathology/*secondary ; Early Detection of Cancer/*statistics & numerical data ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/mortality/*secondary ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult