Colorectal cancer family history? Limit the booze.

According to a study to be published in the February issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer may be more susceptible to adverse effects of alcohol consumption.

In the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, alcohol consumption was first assessed in 1980 in women and in 1986 in men. During a follow-up of 26 y among 87,861 women and 20 y among 47,290 men, the researchers documented 1801 cases of colon cancer (1094 women and 707 men). Higher alcohol consumption was associated with an elevated risk of colon cancer, although the association was significant only for the highest intake category of more than one ounce per day. The association between alcohol consumption and colon cancer risk was higher in those with a family history of colorectal cancer.

Reducing alcohol consumption may decrease the incidence of colon cancer, especially among those with a family history of colorectal cancer.