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The alcohol flushing syndrome: A risk factor for cancer
oleh: Meng Sha, Jia-qian Sun, Qiang Xia
Format: | Article |
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Diterbitkan: | Academy of Medicine Singapore 2024-07-01 |
Deskripsi
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.