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Clinical Research

Total and beverage-specific alcohol intake and the risk of aggressive prostate cancer: a case–control study

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 20, pages 305–310 (2017)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background:

Ethanol in alcoholic beverages is a known carcinogen, but its association with aggressive prostate cancer (APC) is uncertain. Recent studies have shown a modest increase in risk of APC associated with heavy alcohol intake while association for beverage types remain inconsistent.

Methods:

Using a case–control design and self-administered questionnaire, we examined the association between APC (high grade and/or advanced stage) and frequency and quantity of alcohol intake 2 years prior to enrolment. Furthermore, we delineated the relationships for beverage-specific intakes of beer, red wine, white wine and spirits.

Results:

The study included 1282 APC cases and 951 controls. Beer intake frequency of ⩾5 days per week was associated with increased risk compared with no beer intake (odds ratio=1.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.12–2.48) whereas wine was protective at all frequencies of consumption compared with those with no wine intake. For every 10 g per week ethanol intake from beer increase, the odds of advanced PC rose by 3% (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05). No such increased risk was observed for red or white wine while a marginal dose–response relationship was found for spirits (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 0.99–1.07).

Conclusions:

Heavy beer and possibly spirits consumption is associated with increased risk while no dose–response relationship was found for red or white wine. Wine drinkers at all frequencies have a decreased risk of APC compared with those who did not drink wine.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded in part by NHMRC grant #623204. IDD is supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Practitioner Fellowship (APP1102604).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Epidemiology Centre, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    N P Papa, R J MacInnis, H Jayasekara, D R English, G Severi, J L Hopper & G G Giles

  2. Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    N P Papa, R J MacInnis, D R English, G Severi, J L Hopper & G G Giles

  3. Department of Urology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia

    N P Papa, D Bolton & N Lawrentschuk

  4. Monash University Eastern Health Clinical School, Box Hill, VIC, Australia

    I D Davis

  5. Eastern Health, Box Hill, VIC, Australia

    I D Davis

  6. Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    N Lawrentschuk

  7. Department of Surgical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    N Lawrentschuk

  8. Alfred Health Radiation Oncology, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, VIC, Australia

    J L Millar

  9. TissuPath, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    J Pedersen

  10. Department of Pathology, Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    M C Southey

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  1. N P Papa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G G Giles.

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Papa, N., MacInnis, R., Jayasekara, H. et al. Total and beverage-specific alcohol intake and the risk of aggressive prostate cancer: a case–control study. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 20, 305–310 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2017.12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2017.12

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