Abstract
Objective:To discover whether tobacco smoking and intake of different types of alcoholic drinks are associated with small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA).
Methods:A population-based European multi-center case–control study was conducted from 1995 to 1997.
Results:After a histological review using uniform diagnostic criteria, 47 (33%) of the 142 identified cases of SBA were excluded due to reclassification as either tumors of the papilla of Vater (n = 22), stromal tumors, or metastases; 95 cases were accepted for study. In all, 70 cases of SBA together with 2070 controls matched by age, sex, and region were interviewed. A high intake (more than 24 g alcohol per day) of beer or spirits was associated with SBA, an odds ratio (OR) of 3.5 and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 1.5–8.0 and 3.4 (95% CI 1.3–9.2), respectively). There was no association with wine intake or total alcohol intake. Tobacco smoking was probably unrelated to SBA.
Conclusions:A high intake of beer or spirits seems to be a risk factor for SBA. Since this association was not seen for wine drinkers, protective components of wine may counterbalance a carcinogenic effect of alcohol on the small bowel. Alternatively, the result may be confounded by other factors, e.g. dietary factors.
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Kaerlev, L., Teglbjaerg, P.S., Sabroe, S. et al. Is there an association between alcohol intake or smoking and small bowel adenocarcinoma? Results from a European multi-center case–control study. Cancer Causes Control 11, 791–797 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008920502888
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008920502888