Family History of Cancer, Its Combination with Smoking and Drinking, and Risk of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We analyzed the association between history of cancer in first-degree relatives and the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE) using data from three case-control studies conducted in Italy and Switzerland on 805 incident, histologically confirmed SCCE, and 3,461 hospital controls. The alcohol- and tobacco-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for a family history of esophageal cancer was 3.2 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7-6.2], and the OR was higher when the affected relative was a brother or was diagnosed at age <55 years. Compared to subjects without family history of esophageal cancer, noncurrent smokers, drinking <49 drinks per week, the OR was 2.9 (95% CI, 1.1-7.5) for family history alone, 15.5 (95% CI, 11.7-20.5) for current smokers drinking ≥49 drinks per week without family history of esophageal cancer, and 107.0 (95% CI, 13.0-880.2) for current smokers drinking ≥49 drinks per week who also had a family history of esophageal cancer. The risk of SCCE was also increased in subjects with a family history of cancer of the oral cavity/pharynx (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.5-9.0) and stomach (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.6), but not of other cancers, nor for a family history of any cancer (OR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.8-1.4). These data show that, as for many other epithelial cancers, the risk of SCCE is increased in subjects with a family history of the disease, and that—in Western countries—avoidance of alcohol and tobacco is also the best way to prevent SCCE in subjects with a family history of the disease.