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It has been suggested by some experimental human studies that
alcohol effects serum levels of sex hormones and specifically
increases metabolic clearance of plasma testosterone. Sex hormones
have been implicated in the development of the prostate gland
and appear to be a precondition for the development of prostate
cancer. It has been hypothesised that alcohol has a protective
effect on prostate carcinogens; this assumption has been contraindicated
by the findings of other epidemiological studies.
The aim of this study by Albersten K and Gronbaek M., was to analyses
whether alcohol use is a risk factor for the development of prostate
cancer and whether any such relationship depends on beverage type.
The relationships of drinking level and beverage type risk of
prostate cancer were studied in a pooled prospective setting conducted
from 1976-1994 in Copenhagen, Denmark. There were 12,989 subjects
aged 20-98 and were drawn from the male participants of 3 different
cohorts (Copenhagen City Heart Study, Copenhagen Male Study, Copenhagen
County Centre Of Preventive Medicine). Weekly use for beer, spirits
and wine were separately ascertained. A total of 233 subjects
developed prostate cancer during a mean follow-up of 12.3 years.
None of the prostate cancer risk estimates for total drinking
level diverged significantly from the unity, with adjusted relative
risk ranging from 0.66 for >41 drinks to 0.93 for 21-41 drinks
weekly (P= 0.48 for trend). Relative to non drinkers of a specific
beverage drinkers of more than 13 beers weekly had a RR of 1.03
(95% CI 0.67 - 1.60), drinkers of more than 13 glasses of wine
weekly had a RR of 0.92 (95% CI 0.42 - 1.99(, and drinkers of
more than 13 drinks of spirits weekly had a RR of 1.01 (95% CI
0.52 -1.98).
Neither drinking level nor alcoholic beverages were indicated
by the results to be a risk factor for the development of prostate
cancer. The conclusion also holds for heavy drinkers and therefore
contradicts the suggested beneficial effect of the alcohol-induced
decrease in plasma testosterone levels.
Source. Albersten K, Gronbaek M. Does amount or type of alcohol
influence the risk of prostate cancer? Prostate 52 (2002) 297-304 |
