We have tested the combination of the XRCC3 codon 241 variant allele and alcohol consumption but it showed no significant association with colorectal adenoma or carcinoma risk (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.98–1.02; OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92–1.00) (further data not shown). Here, XRCC3 is linked to carcinoma.