Alcohol And Cancer

Following the Third Alcohol and Cancer Conference, this volume compiles the most up-to-date research on the role of alcohol consumption in carcinogenesis, from epidemiology to pathology metabolism and stem cells. More specifically, it delves into the effects of alcohol consumption and thyroid cancer, CD133+ progenitor cells, carcinogenic iron accumulation, developmental morphogens, and cancer-inducing epigenetic changes. Alcohol and Cancer: Proceedings of the Third International Conference is a timely update to Biological Basis of Alcohol-Induced Cancer, which followed the Second Alcohol and Cancer Conference, compiling cutting-edge research from graduate students, young scientists, and researchers. It is ideal for graduate students and researchers in oncology, hepatology, epigenetics, and alcohol consumption.

Alcohol clearly plays key roles in the promotion of cancers initiated by carcinogens. Thus, it is a major cause or significant contributing factor to many cancers. Ethanol affects the metabolism of anticancer drugs. It significantly contributes to viral hepatitis and liver cancer. In addition it modulates colorectal carcinogenesis, procarcinogen activation and risk of oral cancers. The mechanisms of ethanol's actions in carcinogen activation, and alcohol-related cancers are extensively reviewed. This book is designed for the researcher trying to understand how alcohol causes cancer, as well as the clinician/epidemiologist wishing to know more about its role in human cancer incidence.

The WHO European Region has the highest levels of per capita alcohol consumptionworldwide, with 10% of all deaths attributable to alcohol. Alcohol labelling, a WHO recommended practice, is in line with principles of consumer protection and safetythrough providing consumers with information about alcohol risks. To date,there is no overview on the presence of mandatory or voluntary nutritional value,ingredients listing and health information labelling on alcoholic beverages in theRegion, nor the factors influencing labelling practice

The World Health Organization has identified chronic alcohol consumption as one of the top ten risk factors for worldwide burden of disease. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has identified alcohol as carcinogenic to humans, including cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, colon, liver and breast. Alcohol’s actions may be direct e.g. effects on retinoic acid and one-carbon metabolism, or indirect, through metabolites such as acetaldehyde and reactive oxygen species or through various signaling pathways that influence cell cycle and apoptosis that may contribute to carcinogenesis. This report reviews the state of the art in alcohol-related cancer research in ten chapters.

The first part of this book addresses in detail the correlations between alcohol and carcinogenicity, focusing on specific organs such as the upper aerodigestive tract, liver, colon, pancreas and breast. This includes the impairment of methionine-folate metabolism and DNA methylation by alcohol, as well as the use of s-adenosylmethionine to prevent cancer. Furthermore, the synergistic effects of reactive oxygen species and iron in producing liver cancer are addressed. The second part is dedicated to the role of tobacco in lung and digestive tract cancers and to their prevention, highlighting the role of phytochemicals. More specifically, the mutagenic, mitogenic, precarcinogenic, anti-apoptotic, and immunosuppressive properties of nicotine which are involved in the development of cancer, and the possible use of nicotine vaccine in the prevention of mortality associated with tobacco, are discussed.

Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous - both to themselves and society at large. Underage alcohol use is associated with traffic fatalities, violence, unsafe sex, suicide, educational failure, and other problem behaviors that diminish the prospects of future success, as well as health risks â€" and the earlier teens start drinking, the greater the danger. Despite these serious concerns, the media continues to make drinking look attractive to youth, and it remains possible and even easy for teenagers to get access to alcohol. Why is this dangerous behavior so pervasive? What can be done to prevent it? What will work and who is responsible for making sure it happens? Reducing Underage Drinking addresses these questions and proposes a new way to combat underage alcohol use. It explores the ways in which may different individuals and groups contribute to the problem and how they can be enlisted to prevent it. Reducing Underage Drinking will serve as both a game plan and a call to arms for anyone with an investment in youth health and safety.