Interaction between Tobacco and Alcohol Use and the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: Pooled Analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium
- Study type
- Other
- Study name
- INHANCE
- Design
- Pooled analysis of individual-level data from 17 European and American case-control studies in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) Consortium
- Sample size
- 11,221 cases (patients) and 16,168 controls
- Source
- Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention · 2009
In plain words
This research looked at data from more than 11 thousand people with head and neck cancer and more than 16 thousand healthy people. The results showed that using cigarettes or other tobacco together with alcohol raises the risk of this cancer far more than their separate effects added together. However, a considerable share of these cancers, especially in women, in young people and in cancer of the mouth, is not linked to tobacco or alcohol.
Key results
Treatment arms and regimens
This is an observational study with no intervention. 11,221 patients with head and neck cancer were studied. Dose details in the full text.
16,168 controls, no intervention. Dose details in the full text.
Source of the regimen details: Abstract of the paper
Doses are given for the information of specialists, as in this study’s protocol, and are not a prescription. Every drug must be prescribed by the treating physician for the individual patient.
Study population
Patients with head and neck cancer and controls from 17 European and American case-control studies participating in the INHANCE consortium. Details of each study's inclusion criteria are not given in the abstract.
Endpoints
Estimation of the multiplicative interaction parameter (psi) between tobacco and alcohol use and of the population attributable risk (PAR) for head and neck cancer, by tumour subsite, sex, age and geographical region.
Safety and side effects
This is an observational study and no safety or treatment-related adverse-event data are reported.
Clinical significance and place in guidelines
This study provides strong epidemiological evidence for the importance of prevention, i.e. avoiding tobacco and alcohol, in reducing the burden of head and neck cancer, and shows that the effect of combined use is more than multiplicative. It also shows that in women, younger patients and oral cavity cancer, other risk factors play a role too. This is a case-control study, not a treatment guideline; the status of clinical recommendations should be checked in authoritative guidelines.
Limitations
Based on the abstract: the design is case-control and the included studies used different methods. Other limitations should be checked in the full text.
This summary was prepared by the editorial team from the published paper; the original paper is the final reference. Read the original abstract on PubMed.