HOT AND COLD MATE DRINKING AND ESOPHAGEAL CANCER IN PARAGUAY

A hospital-based case-control study, including 131 cases of esophageal cancer and 381 controls, was carried out in Paraguay to investigate t he role of hot and cold mate drinking in esophageal cancer risk. Detai led information on mate drinking and on tobacco smoking, alcohol consu mption, and dietary habits was obtained by interview. Amount and durat ion of cold or hot mate drinking were not associated with esophageal c ancer risk. However, temperature at which mate was drunk was significa ntly associated with risk. As compared to drinkers of warm or hot mate , drinkers of very hot mate had an increased risk for esophageal cance r even after adjusting for the strong effects of alcohol and tobacco c onsumption (adjusted odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.3-4 .3). This effect seemed to be mainly due to the temperature at which m ate cocido (one of the two ways in which hot mate is prepared) was dru nk (odds ratio = 6.5; 95% confidence interval = 3.2-13.2), As expected , very strong dose-response associations were found for alcohol consum ption and cigarette smoking, After correcting for these and the consum ption of other food groups, diets rich in fats and red meats, especial ly beef, were associated with esophageal cancer risk. In conclusion, t he findings from this study suggest that cold mate drinking does not i ncrease the risk of esophageal cancer. This study identifies the very hot temperature at which mate is drunk, and not the amount or the dura tion, as an important risk factor for esophageal cancer in this popula tion. Alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking remain, nevertheless, the m ain risk factors for esophageal cancer in Paraguay.