It has been suggested that alcohol intake increases sunburn severity, a major risk factor for cutaneous melanoma (CM). Several epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and CM, but the evidence is inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to quantify this relationship better, using a meta-analytical approach. The dose-risk relationship was also modelled through a class of flexible nonlinear meta-regression random effects models. The present meta-analysis included 16 studies (14 case-control and two cohort investigations) with a total of 6251 cases of CM. The pooled relative risk (RR) for any alcohol drinking compared with no/occasional drinking was 1·20 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·06-1·37]. The risk estimate was similar in case-control (RR 1·20, 95% CI 1·01-1·44) and cohort studies (RR 1·26, 95% CI 1·19-1·35). The pooled RR was 1·10 (95% CI 0·96-1·26) for light alcohol drinking (≤ 1 drink per day) and 1·18 (95% CI 1·01-1·40) for moderate-to-heavy drinking. The pooled RR from 10 studies adjusting for sun exposure was 1·15 (95% CI 0·94-1·41), while the RR from six unadjusted studies was 1·27 (95% CI 1·20-1·35). No evidence of publication bias was detected. This meta-analysis of published data reveals that alcohol consumption is positively associated with the risk of CM. However, caution in interpreting these results is required, as residual confounding by sun exposure cannot be ruled out. What's already known about this topic? Alcohol drinking increases sunburn severity, a major risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. Several epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and cutaneous melanoma, but the evidence is inconsistent. What does this study add? We found a 20% increased risk of cutaneous melanoma with regular alcohol drinking.

Alcohol drinking and cutaneous melanoma risk: a systematic review and dose-risk meta-analysis / M. Rota, E. Pasquali, R. Bellocco, V. Bagnardi, L. Scotti, F. Islami, E. Negri, P. Boffetta, C. Pelucchi, G. Corrao, C. La Vecchia. - In: BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY. - ISSN 0007-0963. - 170:5(2014 May), pp. 1021-1028.

Alcohol drinking and cutaneous melanoma risk: a systematic review and dose-risk meta-analysis

M. Rota;E. Negri;C. Pelucchi;C. La Vecchia
2014

Abstract

It has been suggested that alcohol intake increases sunburn severity, a major risk factor for cutaneous melanoma (CM). Several epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and CM, but the evidence is inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to quantify this relationship better, using a meta-analytical approach. The dose-risk relationship was also modelled through a class of flexible nonlinear meta-regression random effects models. The present meta-analysis included 16 studies (14 case-control and two cohort investigations) with a total of 6251 cases of CM. The pooled relative risk (RR) for any alcohol drinking compared with no/occasional drinking was 1·20 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·06-1·37]. The risk estimate was similar in case-control (RR 1·20, 95% CI 1·01-1·44) and cohort studies (RR 1·26, 95% CI 1·19-1·35). The pooled RR was 1·10 (95% CI 0·96-1·26) for light alcohol drinking (≤ 1 drink per day) and 1·18 (95% CI 1·01-1·40) for moderate-to-heavy drinking. The pooled RR from 10 studies adjusting for sun exposure was 1·15 (95% CI 0·94-1·41), while the RR from six unadjusted studies was 1·27 (95% CI 1·20-1·35). No evidence of publication bias was detected. This meta-analysis of published data reveals that alcohol consumption is positively associated with the risk of CM. However, caution in interpreting these results is required, as residual confounding by sun exposure cannot be ruled out. What's already known about this topic? Alcohol drinking increases sunburn severity, a major risk factor for cutaneous melanoma. Several epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and cutaneous melanoma, but the evidence is inconsistent. What does this study add? We found a 20% increased risk of cutaneous melanoma with regular alcohol drinking.
Malignant-melanoma; cancer incidence; response data; sun exposure; diet; consumption; smoking; questionnaire; sunburn; cohort
Settore MED/01 - Statistica Medica
mag-2014
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Rota_et_al-2014-British_Journal_of_Dermatology.pdf

accesso riservato

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 510 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
510 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/244266
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 20
  • Scopus 53
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 49
social impact