Changes in the trend of alcohol-related cancers: perspectives on statistical trends.

Alcohol is a major risk factor for cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) including oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, and esophageal cancers. Our present study aims at comparing the effect of alcohol consumption trends on UADT cancer incidence and mortality in four countries: USA, France, Sweden, and UK (Scotland). Analogous to the decline in alcohol consumption in the countries being studied, incidence and mortality rates for UADT cancers were also noted to stabilize or decline over time. Factors such as tobacco use and HPV infection may have confounded our findings.