Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine
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Chronic excessive alcohol consumption is the strongest risk factor for upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancer. Multiple mechanisms are involved in alcohol-associated cancer development of the UADT, including acetaldehyde (AA) effects. AA is toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic. ⋯ In Caucasians, alcohol dehydrogenase 1*1 (ADH1C*1) allele encodes for an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isoenzyme, which produces 2.5 times more AA than the corresponding allele ADH1C*2. The authors found that the ADH1C*1 allele frequency and rate of homozygosity was significantly associated with an increased risk for alcohol-related cancer. AA seems to be an important factor in alcohol-associated carcinogenesis of the UADT.