ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONSUMPTION AND LUNG-CANCER RISK AMONG RESIDENTS OF LOS-ANGELES-COUNTY

Although studies generally support a positive association between alco hol consumption and lung-cancer risk, the relationship between specifi c alcoholic beverages and lung-cancer risk has been inconsistent, We e xamined recent and past alcoholic beverage intake among 261 incident c ases and 615 population controls enrolled in a lung-cancer case-contro l study of African Americans and Caucasians in Los Angeles County betw een 1991 and 1994. An in-person interview elicited information about p ast alcohol intake from ages 30 to 40 y, smoking, other lung-cancer ri sk factors, as well as recent intake of alcohol, and recent dietary in take, An association was observed between recent hard-liquor consumpti on and lung-cancer risk. The odds ratio (OR) for 1 or more drinks (1.5 oz or 0.051 mL) per day of hard liquor compared with infrequent liquo r drinking (0-3 drinks per month), adjusted for smoking, the matching factors, saturated fat and other alcoholic beverages was 1.87 [95% con fidence interval (CI) = 1.02-3.42]. No appreciable association was obs erved for total alcohol, whereas small inverse associations were obser ved for beer and wine, although confidence intervals were wide. An ele vated lung-cancer risk was also observed for past liquor consumption ( between ages 30 and 40 y). The adjusted OR for 1 or more drinks per da y of liquor compared with infrequent drinkers was 1.83 (95% CI = 1.06- 3.15). Confounding of the association between alcohol and lung cancer by smoking was apparent. Although we devoted considerable efforts to a djusting for smoking in our analyses, residual confounding is still po ssible because smoking and alcohol are closely associated. In addition , case-control studies including this study should be viewed with caut ion because of possible selection bias. An increased risk of lung canc er might occur with moderate drinking of hard liquor but confirmation is required in larger studies.