Affiliation:
1. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Abstract
Globally, alcohol consumption is responsible for an estimated 3 million deaths annually and contributes to over 740,000 new cancer cases each year.1 Acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol metabolism, has been designated as first-class carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.2 In East Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea, approximately 36% of the population cannot effectively metabolise alcohol due to an inherited deficiency in the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2).3 This deficiency leads to the accumulation of acetaldehyde in the blood, causing alcohol flushing syndrome (AFS), characterised by facial flushing, palpitations and nausea.4 AFS is a predictor of inactive ALDH2 and is associated with a higher risk of cancer development.
Publisher
Academy of Medicine, Singapore