Cancer Morbidity Among Two Male Cohorts With Increased Alcohol Consumption in Finland2

Abstract

The correlation between alcohol consumption and morbidity from cancer was investigated in 2 male Finnish populations. For the first population, the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry on cancer of the esophagus, liver, and colon (1965-68) and lung (1968) in mares were checked against the files of the “alcohol misuser” registry; this group totaled ≈ 205,000 males registered due to conviction for drunkenness, sanctions imposed by the municipal Social Welfare Boards, and breaches against the regulations governing alcohol usage in connection with the buyer surveillance conducted by the Finnish State Alcohol Monopoly in 1944–59. Excess morbidity was observed from cancer of the esophagus (P<O.OOI), liver (P<0.05), and lung (P<0.001) but not from cancer of the colon. For the second population, the files on a group of chronic skid-row alcoholics were studied. The mean annual number of males, >30 years old, registered as alcoholics by the Social Welfare Board of Helsinki was 4370 in 1967–70. The data of this registry were checked against those of the Finnish Cancer Registry (1967–70). Excess morbidity (P< 0.05) was observed from cancer of the pharnyx, esophagus, and lung; excess total cancer morbidity was also noted. The results agree with the hypothesis of a correlation between alcohol consumption and morbidity from cancer of the pharynx, esophagus, and liver. The high incidence of lung cancer in both populations may be attributed to concomitant heavy smoking, which may also be partly responsible for the excess morbidity from esophageal cancer.