Interaction of the Effects of Alcohol Drinking and Polymorphisms in Alcohol-Metabolizing Enzymes on the Risk of Female Breast Cancer in Japan

摘要

BackgroundEpidemiological studies consistently indicate that alcoholic beverages are an independent risk factor for female breast cancer. Although the mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown, the predominant hypothesis implicates mutagenesis via the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde, whose impact on the carcinogenesis of several types of cancer has been shown in both experimental models and molecular epidemiological studies. Many of the epidemiological studies have investigated genetic polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase-1B (ADH1B) His48Arg and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) Glu504Lys, because of the strong impact these polymorphisms have on exposure to and accumulation of acetaldehyde. With regard to breast cancer, however, evidence is scarce.