Moderation
Impact of smoking and alcohol consumption on early-onset gastric cancer development in young Koreans
Although smoking and alcohol consumption are known risk factors for gastric cancer (GC), studies assessing their effects on early-onset GC are limited. In a Korean nationwide, population-based, prospective cohort study, researchers assessed the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on early-onset GC in patients aged <50 years.
Data was analysed from patients aged 20-39 years who underwent cancer and general health screening in the Korean National Health Screening Program between 2009 and 2012. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for GC incidence until December 2020 were calculated.
6,793,699 individuals were enrolled in this cohort. The mean duration of follow-up was 9.4 years. During follow-up, 9,893 cases of GC were reported. Compared with the aHRs (95% CI) of never-smokers, those of former and current-smokers were 1.121 (1.044-1.205) and 1.282 (1.212-1.355), respectively. Compared with the aHRs (95% CI) of non-consumers, those of low-moderate- and high-risk alcohol consumers were 1.095 (1.046-1.146) and 1.212 (1.113-1.321), respectively. GC risk was the highest in current-smokers and high-risk alcohol consumers (1.447 [1.297-1.615]). Interestingly, alcohol consumption and smoking additively increased the GC risk in men but not in women.
Smoking and alcohol consumption are significant risk factors for early-onset GC in young Koreans. Further studies are needed to investigate sex-based impact of alcohol consumption and smoking on GC incidence in young individuals.
Source: Kang SJ, Shin CM, Han K, Jung JH, Jin EH, Lim JH, Choi YJ, Yoon H, Park YS, Kim N, Lee DH. Impact of Smoking and Alcohol Consumption on Early-Onset Gastric Cancer Development in Young Koreans: A Population-Based Study. J Gastric Cancer. 2024 Apr;24(2):145-158.

