European Journal of Cancer
Volume 37, Issue 3 , Pages 392-397, February 2001

Are alcohol intake and smoking associated with mycosis fungoides? A European multicentre case–control study.

  • M.M Morales Suárez-Varela

      Affiliations

    • Unit of Public Health and Environmental Care, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Valencia, Av. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
    • Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, Dr. Peset Hospital, Valencia, Spain
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +34-963-864-951; fax: +34-963-864-951
    • ,
  • J Olsen

      Affiliations

    • The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, University of Aarhus, Denmark
    • ,
  • L Kaerlev

      Affiliations

    • The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, University of Aarhus, Denmark
    • ,
  • P Guénel

      Affiliations

    • INSERM Uniteé 88, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, France
    • ,
  • P Arveux

      Affiliations

    • Registre des cancers du Doubs, France
    • ,
  • G Wingren

      Affiliations

    • Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Health and Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sweden
    • ,
  • L Hardell

      Affiliations

    • Department of Oncology, Örebro Medical Center, Sweden
    • ,
  • W Ahrens

      Affiliations

    • Bremen Institute for Prevention Research and Social Medicine, Division of Biometry and Data Processing, Bremen, Germany
    • Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Clinics, Essen, Germany
    • ,
  • A Stang

      Affiliations

    • Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Clinics, Essen, Germany
    • ,
  • A Llopis-Gonzalez

      Affiliations

    • Unit of Public Health and Environmental Care, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Valencia, Av. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
    • ,
  • F Merletti

      Affiliations

    • Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Turin, Italy
    • ,
  • F Guillén-Grima

      Affiliations

    • Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain
    • ,
  • P Johansen

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Pathology, Aalborg Hospital, Reberbansgade, DK-9100 Aalborg, Denmark

Received 30 May 2000; received in revised form 29 August 2000; accepted 26 October 2000.

Abstract 

The incidence of mycosis fungoides (MF) is low, and the aetiology of the disease is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether wine consumption protects against the disease and whether smoking constitutes a risk factor. This paper is part of the European Rare Cancers Study that tries to determine the risk factors for seven selective rare cancers, including mycosis fungoides, involved in the development of cancer. A multicentre case–control study was conducted in six European countries. Only incident cases with confirmed histology were included in the analysis which include a total of 76 cases of MF and 2899 controls. Wine intake had no protective effect; on the contrary the consumption of more than 24 g of alcohol per day was associated with a high risk of MF (odds ratio (OR)=3.02, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.34–6.79), after adjusting for centre, country, age, sex and education. There was a dose-dependent increase in the risk of MF with increased smoking habits, albeit the observed trend was not statistically significant. A combined exposure to high tobacco and alcohol use yielded a significantly increased risk factor for MF (P=0.0073). Alcohol intake was associated with MF.

Keywords:  (MEDLINE): Mycosis fungoides, Alcohol, Tobacco, Case–control study

 

PII: S0959-8049(00)00383-X

European Journal of Cancer
Volume 37, Issue 3 , Pages 392-397, February 2001