ALCOHOL AND OTHER BEVERAGE USE AND PROSTATE-CANCER RISK AMONG CANADIAN MEN

There are very few large scale studies that have examined the associat ion of prostate cancer with alcohol and other beverages. This relation ship was examined in a case-control study conducted in 3 geographical areas of Canada [Metropolitan Toronto (Ontario), Montreal (Quebec), an d Vancouver (British Columbia)] with 617 incident cases and 637 popula tion controls. Complete history of beverage intake was assessed by a p ersonal interview with reference to a I-year period prior to diagnosis or interview. In age- and energy-adjusted models for all centers comb ined, the odds ratio (OR) for the highest quintile of total alcohol in take was 0.89. For alcoholic beverages separately, it was 0.68 for the highest tertile of beer, 1.12 for wine and 0.86 for liquor. The decre asing trend war significant for beer intake. The results were only sig nificant for British Columbia out of all the 3 centers studied. Wherea s coffee and cola intake was not associated with prostate cancer, a de crease in risk was observed with tea intake of more than 500 g per day (OR 0.70). Our results do not support a positive association between total alcohol, coffee and prostate cancer. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.