Background:Alcohol is a risk factor for cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus, colorectum, liver, larynx and female breast, whereas its impact on other cancers remains controversial.Methods:We investigated the effect of alcohol on 23 cancer types through a meta-analytic approach. We used dose–response meta-regression models and investigated potential sources of heterogeneity.Results:A total of 572 studies, including 486 538 cancer cases, were identified. Relative risks (RRs) for heavy drinkers compared with nondrinkers and occasional drinkers were 5.13 for oral and pharyngeal cancer, 4.95 for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 1.44 for colorectal, 2.65 for laryngeal and 1.61 for breast cancer; for those neoplasms there was a clear dose–risk relationship. Heavy drinkers also had a significantly higher risk of cancer of the stomach (RR 1.21), liver (2.07), gallbladder (2.64), pancreas (1.19) and lung (1.15). There was indication of a positive association between alcohol consumption and risk of melanoma and prostate cancer. Alcohol consumption and risk of Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were inversely associated.Conclusions:Alcohol increases risk of cancer of oral cavity and pharynx, oesophagus, colorectum, liver, larynx and female breast. There is accumulating evidence that alcohol drinking is associated with some other cancers such as pancreas and prostate cancer and melanoma.

This meta-analysis provides strong evidence for an association between alcohol drinking of >1 drink/day and colorectal cancer risk.

Light drinking increases the risk of cancer of oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus and female breast.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly affected oncology practice across the globe. There is uncertainty as to the contribution of patients' demographics and oncologic features to severity and mortality from COVID-19 and little guidance as to the role of anticancer and anti-COVID-19 therapy in this population. In a multicenter study of 890 patients with cancer with confirmed COVID-19, we demonstrated a worsening gradient of mortality from breast cancer to hematologic malignancies and showed that male gender, older age, and number of comorbidities identify a subset of patients with significantly worse mortality rates from COVID-19. Provision of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy did not worsen mortality. Exposure to antimalarials was associated with improved mortality rates independent of baseline prognostic factors. This study highlights the clinical utility of demographic factors for individualized risk stratification of patients and supports further research into emerging anti-COVID-19 therapeutics in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: In this observational study of 890 patients with cancer diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, mortality was 33.6% and predicted by male gender, age ≥65, and comorbidity burden. Delivery of cancer therapy was not detrimental to severity or mortality from COVID-19. These patients should be the focus of shielding efforts during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Research.

This meta-analysis provides definite evidence of a lack of association between moderate alcohol drinking and gastric cancer risk. There was, however, a positive association with heavy alcohol drinking.

Objective. Oral antidiabetic drugs (including metformin and sulfonylurea) may play a role in the relationship between type 2 diabetes and cancer. To quantify the association between metformin and sulfonylurea and the risk of cancer, we performed a meta-analysis of available studies on the issue.Materials and Methods. We performed a MEDLINE search for observational studies that investigated the risk of all cancers and specific cancer sites in relation to use of metformin and/or sulfonylurea among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fixed-and random-effect models were fitted to estimate the summary relative risk (RR). Betweenstudy heterogeneity was tested using 2 statistics and measured with the I 2 statistic. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plot and Egger's regression asymmetry test.Results.

ObjeCtivesTo investigate the cardiovascular safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and estimate the risk of hospital admission for heart failure with use of individual NSAIDs. DesignNested case-control study.setting Five population based healthcare databases from four European countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom). PartiCiPantsAdult individuals (age ≥18 years) who started NSAID treatment in 2000-10. Overall, 92 163 hospital admissions for heart failure were identified and matched with 8 246 403 controls (matched via risk set sampling according to age, sex, year of cohort entry). Main OutCOMe MeasureAssociation between risk of hospital admission for heart failure and use of 27 individual NSAIDs, including 23 traditional NSAIDs and four selective COX 2 inhibitors. Associations were assessed by multivariable conditional logistic regression models. The dose-response relation between NSAID use and heart failure risk was also assessed.

In order to provide a more precise quantification of the association between alcohol consumption and pancreatic cancer risk, we performed a meta-analysis of relevant dose-risk results. We conducted a PubMed search of all case-control (N521) and cohort (N511) studies published up to March 2009. We computed summary relative risk (RR) estimates using either fixed-or, in the presence of heterogeneity, random-effects models. The pooled RR was 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 0.86-0.97) for <3 drinks/day and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.12-1.34) for 3 drinks/day. The increased risk for heavy drinking was similar in women and men, but apparently stronger in cohort studies (RR51.29), in studies with high quality index (RR51.30), and did not appear to be explained by residual confounding by either history of pancreatitis or tobacco smoking. This metaanalysis provides strong evidence for the absence of a role of moderate drinking in pancreatic carcinogenesis, coupled to an increased risk for heavy alcohol drinking. Given the moderate increase in risk and the low prevalence of heavy drinkers in most populations, alcohol appears to be responsible only for a small fraction of all pancreatic cancers.Whether a causal association exists between alcohol drinking and pancreatic cancer is an open research question of notable scientific and public health importance. Most studies have found no association between alcohol drinking and pancreatic cancer risk, 1,2 although a modest and inconsistent association has been identified in some studies. [3][4][5] A meta-analysis of 17 studies published up to 2000 including 2,524 cases resulted in relative risks (RR) of 1.05 for consumption of 50 grams/day and of 1.18 for 100 grams/day, 3 but the risk estimates were not statistically significant owing to the small numbers of heavy drinkers. A recent pooled analysis of 14 cohort studies showed a RR of 1.22 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 1.03-1.45) for intake above 30 grams/day. 4 Thus, it still remains to be determined whether a dose-response association exists between alcohol consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer, or whether any potential association may be restricted to heavy intake.Any possible association of alcohol with pancreatic cancer risk may be confounded by other major risk factors of pancreatic cancer, particularly pancreatitis and smoking with which alcohol intake may also be correlated. Heavy alcohol consumption is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis in high-and medium-income countries, 6-9 which in turn is one of the few established risk factors of pancreatic cancer, with observed RRs in the range 5-15. 10,11 However, a history of pancreatitis is present only in a small proportion (generally less than 10%) of cases of pancreatic cancer, 10,12,13 and is responsible for less than 5% of all pancreatic cancer cases. 14 In most populations heavy alcohol drinking is also correlated with tobacco smoking, the major recognized risk factor for pancreatic cancer. 10,14 Whether tobacco or history of pancreatitis are confounders or ...