ALCOHOL-USE AND PROSTATE-CANCER IN US WHITES - NO ASSOCIATION IN A CONFIRMATORY STUDY

BACKGROUND. In a recent study among U.S. men with prostate cancer, alc ohol consumption was associated with an increase in prostate cancer ri sk. This finding could have considerable public health implications. W e therefore set out to confirm the reported association in a study of comparable scale, using the same alcohol exposure categories. METHODS. The association was evaluated in a case-control study of 699 white pr ostate cancer cases and 2,041 matched controls, admitted between 1977- 1991 to 20 U.S. hospitals. RESULTS. No association was seen between pr ostate cancer and alcohol intake comparing ever, current, and former t o never drinkers, not even for the highest reported level of alcohol c onsumption. CONCLUSIONS. Our failure to confirm the reported associati on agrees with the findings of most studies that, within a wide range of alcohol intake, there is no relation between alcohol consumption an d prostate cancer. However, some studies suggest that alcoholics may h ave an increased prostate cancer risk. This needs further exploration. Prostrate 36:250-255, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.