Alcohol and Prostate Cancer: Time to Draw Conclusions.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to analyze the evidence for and against the role of alcohol, including wine, in prostate cancer development and progression.
Results Summary
The study found mixed evidence regarding wine's effect on prostate cancer, with some suggesting it may slow tumor growth, while others linked high alcohol intake, including wine, to increased risk and lethality of prostate cancer. Discrepancies arose from unaccounted factors like diet, lifestyle, and study design limitations.
Population
Men, particularly those at risk for or diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
alcohol consumption | increase | development of prostate cancer (PCa) | many comprehensive studies from different geographical areas and nationalities | - | positively correlated with | #1 |
wine consumption | decrease | prostate tumor growth | - | - | could prevent or slow | #2 |
high alcohol intake, especially binge drinking | increase | PCa | - | - | is associated with increased risk for | #3 |
alcohol consumption | increase | PCa lethality | - | - | directly linked to | #4 |
alcohol consumption | increase | prostate tumors | - | - | may accelerate the growth of | #5 |
alcohol consumption | decrease | progression to metastatic PCa | - | - | significantly shorten the time for | #6 |
ethanol metabolites | decrease | intracellular organization and trafficking | prostate tissue | - | damaging effect on | #7 |
alcohol consumption | neutral | prostate-specific antigen level | - | - | impact on | #8 |
alcohol consumption | increase | benign prostatic hyperplasia | - | - | risk for | #9 |
alcohol | neutral | prostate carcinogenesis | - | - | interference in | #10 |
alcohol | neutral | androgen deprivation therapy | - | - | possible side effects of | #11 |
It has been a long-standing debate in the research and medical societies whether alcohol consumption is linked to the risk of prostate cancer (PCa). Many comprehensive studies from different geographical areas and nationalities have shown that moderate and heavy drinking is positively correlated with the development of PCa. Nevertheless, some observations could not confirm that such a correlation exists; some even suggest that wine consumption could prevent or slow prostate tumor growth. Here, we have rigorously analyzed the evidence both for and against the role of alcohol in PCa development. We found that many of the epidemiological studies did not consider other, potentially critical, factors, including diet (especially, low intake of fish, vegetables and linoleic acid, and excessive use of red meat), smoking, family history of PCa, low physical activity, history of high sexual activities especially with early age of first intercourse, and sexually transmitted infections. In addition, discrepancies between observations come from selectivity criteria for control groups, questionnaires about the type and dosage of alcohol, and misreported alcohol consumption. The lifetime history of alcohol consumption is critical given that a prostate tumor is typically slow-growing; however, many epidemiological observations that show no association monitored only current or relatively recent drinking status. Nevertheless, the overall conclusion is that high alcohol intake, especially binge drinking, is associated with increased risk for PCa, and this effect is not limited to any type of beverage. Alcohol consumption is also directly linked to PCa lethality as it may accelerate the growth of prostate tumors and significantly shorten the time for the progression to metastatic PCa. Thus, we recommend immediately quitting alcohol for patients diagnosed with PCa. We discuss the features of alcohol metabolism in the prostate tissue and the damaging effect of ethanol metabolites on intracellular organization and trafficking. In addition, we review the impact of alcohol consumption on prostate-specific antigen level and the risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Lastly, we highlight the known mechanisms of alcohol interference in prostate carcinogenesis and the possible side effects of alcohol during androgen deprivation therapy.