Finnish researchers have concluded that heavy drinking has a strong link to colon cancer after tracking the health of 2,600 Finns for 17 years, local media reported on Tuesday.

The research, conducted by the Academy of Finland, found that men who consume large quantities of alcohol were four times more likely to develop colon cancer.

"It's possible that people differ genetically, in the sense that alcohol may be a bigger risk factor for some than others," said Kuopio University professor Jussi Kauhanen, who participated in the research.

The research, which last about 17 years, focused on the health of 2,600 men in eastern Finland. A fifth of the men were classified as heavy drinkers, the reports said.

The researchers suspected that one in four cases of intestinal cancer was caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30,2008)