Drinking initiation during adolescence is associated with modest increased risk for memory impairment and emotional distress in adult survivors of childhood cancer, according to a recent study. Researchers used data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), a 26‐center study of >5-year survivors of childhood cancer diagnosed at <21 years between 1970 and 1986 in the US and Canada. 4,484 adult survivors of childhood cancer (mean [SD] age at evaluation = 34.8 [6.1] years; time from diagnosis = 24.8 [4.4] years) and 1,706 sibling controls completed surveys reporting on alcohol use, neurocognitive impairment, and emotional distress. They found:

• After adjustment for childhood cancer treatment exposures, including cranial radiation therapy, drinking initiation prior to age 18 years was associated with 30% increased risk of subsequent memory problems (Risk Ratio [RR]=1.3).
• Younger age at drinking initiation was associated with future risk of depression (RR=1.3), anxiety (RR=1.6), and somatization (RR=1.2).
• Persistent heavy/risky drinking was associated with 80% increased risk of persistent psychological distress (RR=1.8).