Alcohol consumption and the risk of mucinous and nonmucinous epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract

Objective: To examine alcohol consumption as a risk factor for epithelial ovarian cancer according to tumor histology.

Methods: We examined total alcohol consumption and consumption of beer, wine, and spirits as risk factors for mucinous and nonmucinous tumors in a population-based, case-control study comparing 761 incident cases of epithelial ovarian cancer with 1352 community controls frequency-matched to cases by age and three-digit telephone exchange. Multivariable, unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mucinous and nonmucinous tumors associated with alcohol consumption. Adjustments were made for age, parity, oral contraceptive use, education, tubal ligation, smoking, and family history of ovarian cancer.

Results: Overall, no association between total alcohol consumption and ovarian cancer was found. However, current heavy alcohol consumption (24 g or more per day) was associated with mucinous (OR 1.93; 95% CI 1.02, 3.65) but not nonmucinous tumors (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.57, 1.37). The association between heavy current consumption and mucinous tumors was strongest for spirits (OR 8.83; 95% CI 2.89, 27.01) and apparent for beer (OR 2.53; 95% CI 0.86, 7.42). For nonmucinous tumors, no such associations were found for either spirits (OR 1.53; 95% CI 0.58, 4.00) or beer (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.39, 2.14).

Conclusion: Current heavy consumption of alcohol might be a risk factor for mucinous but not nonmucinous epithelial ovarian cancer. This supports the hypothesis of a distinct etiology for mucinous tumors.