Table 5 Joint effect of alcohol and cigarette smoking on risk of colorectal cancer, Singapore Chinese Health Study, 1993–2004

From: Cigarettes and alcohol in relation to colorectal cancer: the Singapore Chinese Health Study

  

Smoking level

  

Never

Light a

Heavy a

Cancer site

Alcohol (drinks/week)

Cases

HR (95% CI) b

Cases

HR (95% CI) b

Cases

HR (95% CI) b

Colorectal cancer

Nondrinker

428

1.00

194

1.03 (0.85–1.24)

36

1.46 (1.02–2.08)

 

<7

52

1.03 (0.77–1.38)

53

1.10 (0.81–1.49)

12

1.94 (1.08–3.47)

 

7+

15

1.45 (0.86–2.43)

46

2.02 (1.46–2.80)

9

2.03 (1.03–3.97)

Colon cancer

Nondrinker

300

1.00

100

0.79 (0.61–1.02)

16

0.97 (0.58–1.64)

 

<7

29

0.87 (0.59–1.28)

27

0.87 (0.57–1.32)

4

0.98 (0.36–2.65)

 

7+

9

1.31 (0.67–2.56)

29

1.97 (1.31–2.96)

2

0.69 (0.17–2.79)

Rectal cancer

Nondrinker

128

1.00

94

1.53 (1.13–2.08)

20

2.49 (1.51–4.11)

 

<7

23

1.38 (0.88–2.17)

26

1.59 (1.01–2.50)

8

3.90 (1.87–8.15)

 

7+

6

1.76 (0.77–4.02)

17

2.20 (1.29–3.76)

7

4.71 (2.15–10.34)

  1. aHeavy smokers were those who started to smoke cigarettes before 15 years of age and smoked at least 13 cigarettes per day. Light smokers were those who started to smoke cigarettes at or after 15 years of age or smoked 12 or less cigarettes per day.
  2. bAll hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using the Cox regression models that also included age, gender, dialect group, year of recruitment, level of education, body mass index, history of diabetes, family history of colorectal cancer, and physical exercise (see details in the Method section).
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