Risk of stomach cancer in relation to consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, tea and coffee in Warsaw, Poland

To identify reasons for the high incidence rates of stomach cancer in Polan d, we conducted a population-based case-control study in Warsaw, Cases were residents aged 21 to 79 years who were newly diagnosed with stomach cancer between March 1, 1994, and April 30, 1997, Controls were randomly selected from Warsaw residents registered at the nationwide Polish Electronic Syste m of Residence Evidency, frequency-matched to cases by age and sex, Informa tion on demographic characteristics; consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, te a and coffee; diet; medical history; family history of cancer; occupational history; and living conditions during adolescence was elicited by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire. Included were 464 cases (90% of eligible) and 480 controls (87% of eligible). Among men, the risk of st omach cancer was significantly elevated among current smokers (OR = 1.7, 95 % CI = 1.1-2.7) but not among former smokers. The excess risk was largely c onfined to long-term and heavy smokers, with significant 2-fold excess risk among men who smoked 40 or more pack-years. Among women, an 80% increase i n risk was observed in both current and former smokers but dose-response tr ends were less consistent than among men, Alcohol consumption was not clear ly related to risk, and no association was found for drinking regular coffe e or herbal tea or using milk/cream in coffee or tea. A significant reducti on in risk was linked to daily tea drinking among women, but not among men. Our findings confirm an association with cigarette smoking, which is estim ated to account for approximately 20% of stomach cancers diagnosed among Wa rsaw residents during the study period. Published 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.(dag ger).