TOPLINE:
Higher levels of alcohol consumption appear to increase an individual’s risk of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly distal colon and rectal cancers, according to a population-based study from Korea.
METHODOLOGY:
- The investigators retrospectively compared average daily alcohol consumption with early-onset CRC risk among nearly 5.7 million adults younger than 50 years, using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service.
- Alcohol consumption levels were defined as nondrinker, light (<10 g/d or <0.7 US drinks/d), moderate (10–30 g/d for men, 10–20 g/d for women), and heavy (≥30 g/d or ≥2.1 drinks/d for men, ≥20 g/d or ≥1.4 drinks/d for women).