Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40574483›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of epidemiology2025

Alcohol consumption and cancer risk in South Korea and the UK: prospective cohort studies.

Keum Ji Jung, Kyoungho Lee, Dae Sub Song, Ji Woo Baek, Sang Yop Shin, Sun Ha Jee, Sarah Lewington

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of epidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Keum Ji JungInstitute for Health Promotion, Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-4993-0666
Kyoungho LeeDivision of Population Health Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Osong Cheongju-si, Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-2353-2547
Dae Sub SongDivision of Population Health Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Osong Cheongju-si, Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-4859-5790
Ji Woo BaekInstitute for Health Promotion, Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-2911-4920
Sang Yop ShinKorea Medical Institute, Seoul, Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-2174-4247
Sun Ha JeeInstitute for Health Promotion, Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.ORCID 0000-0001-9519-3068
Sarah LewingtonMRC Population Health Research Unit, Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-4496-4771

Funding

Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea HA21C0142
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aimed to compare cancer incidence rates between South Korea and the UK, and assess the associated cancer risks due to alcohol consumption.

methodsData were pooled from the Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II and the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study Biobank for South Korea, and from UK Biobank (UKB) for the UK, with follow-up until 2020. Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated by using the World Health Organization standard population. Hazard ratios (HRs) for cancer incidence were analysed in relation to alcohol consumption levels.

resultsThe overall cancer incidence rates were similar between South Korea and the UK. However, the incidence of liver, stomach, and thyroid cancers was more than five times higher in the Korean cohort. Compared with never drinkers, consuming ≥50 g of alcohol daily increased the overall cancer risk by 24% in the Korean data and by 11% in the UKB data. In Korea, heavy drinking (≥50 g/day) was associated with higher risks of esophageal cancer (HR = 12.59), liver cancer (HR = 1.65), head and neck cancer (HR = 2.06), alcohol-related cancers (HR = 1.60), and stomach cancer (HR = 1.43). In the UKB cohort, it was linked to increased risks of head and neck cancer (HR = 1.95), breast cancer (HR = 1.12), and alcohol-related cancers (HR = 1.18). Both cohorts showed a lower risk of thyroid cancer with increased alcohol consumption.

conclusionAlcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related cancers in both South Korean and UK populations.

Indexed as

Alcohol DrinkingNeoplasmsAdultAgedFemaleHumansIncidenceLiver NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedProportional Hazards ModelsProspective StudiesRepublic of KoreaRisk FactorsStomach NeoplasmsThyroid Neoplasmsalcohol drinkingcohort studiesneoplasmsriskSouth KoreaUnited Kingdom

Identifiers

PMID40574483
PMCPMC12202743

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.