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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHalcohol and body 25/08/2008 ALCOHOL AND THROAT CANCER 
Why does one heavy drinker develop cancer of the mouth and throat and the other not? A French researcher, Paul Brennan, and his team have solved this mystery, in part at least. It’s all about the presence of at least two variants of genes that have a protective action against throat and mouth cancer.The scientists studied the drinking patterns of 3 800 persons with mouth and throat cancer and then compared the results with those for 5 200 test subjects, also alcohol drinkers of the same age and with the same lifestyle, but without cancer of the mouth and throat. More than 70% of the persons having developed mouth cancer drank more than the recommended amount of alcohol. It was long known that a group of genes that goes by the name of ADH (alcoholdehydrogenase) are instrumental in the development of cancer of the mouth and throat. These genes make produce bodily substances that help to metabolize alcohol. The French research team found that the carriers of two variants of ADH displayed appreciably less relative risk of cancer of the mouth and throat. The effect increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. The gene variants in question appear to be a hundred times more efficient in the metabolization of alcohol. All this means that persons who drink to excess will not contract cancer of the mouth or throat. All it really means is that they are less at risk. For the rest, it is also a known fact that alcohol has an effect on breast cancer, stomach cancer and liver cancer. The more excessive drinking is avoided, the less the risk of these disorders. “Nature Genetics” Paul Brennan et al. May 2008, Vol. 40, No. 5 | |
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