Double wave cohort increase for oesophageal and laryngeal cancer in France in relation to reduced alcohol consumption during the second world war.

Mortality from oesophageal cancer is increasing in France. A cohort analysis indicates that there were two successive waves of increase separated by a non-increase interval for the cohorts born between 1902 and 1916. A similar effect was observed for laryngeal cancer and liver cirrhosis but not for lung and pancreas cancer. This might be related to the reduction of alcohol consumption during the second world war.