Objective: To analyse the relation between alcohol intake and the risk of n
on-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).
Design: Hospital-based case-control study.
Settings: The greater Milan area and the province of Pordenone, Northern It
aly,
Subjects: Cases were 446 (256 men and 190 women) with histologically confir
med incident NHL. and controls were 1295 (791 men and 504 women) with acute
non-neoplastic conditions.
Results: Compared to non-drinkers, the odds ratio (OR) was 0.92 for <3 drin
ks per day, 0.98 for 3-6 drinks, and 1.02 for <greater than or equal to>7 d
rinks per day. Wine drinking was also not associated with risk. and the OR
was 0.85 For drinkers of greater than or equal to 7 drinks/day compared to
non-drinkers. Beer and spirit intake was also not associated with NHL risk,
Conclusions: Our study, based on a population with relatively high alcohol
intakes, indicates that there is no appreciable association between intake
of various alcoholic beverages and the risk of NHL.