Is alcohol consumption related to breast cancer? Results from the Framingham Heart Study.
We studied the relation between alcohol consumption and breast cancer among women in the Framingham Heart Study cohort. A total of 2,636 women aged 31-64 years provided information on alcohol consumption at the second biennial examination. They were followed for up to 32 years; during this period, breast cancer was diagnosed in 143 of these women. Alcohol intake was also assessed at 10 and 20 years of follow-up and every 2 years thereafter. In analyses using only baseline alcohol intake, the multiple risk factor-adjusted relative risk (RR) estimate of breast cancer for any drinking, compared with nondrinking, was 0.8 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.5-1.1]. For three levels of alcohol intake (0.1-1.4 g/day, 1.5-4.9 g/day, and greater than or equal to 5.0 g/day), the baseline analyses yielded RRs (vs. nondrinking) of 1.0 (CI, 0.6-1.5), 0.7 (CI, 0.4-1.1), and 0.6 (CI, 0.4-1.0), respectively. In analyses incorporating repeated measures of alcohol, the comparable RRs were 0.9 (CI, 0.6-1.2) for any drinking (vs. nondrinking) and 0.7 (CI, 0.4-1.4), 1.1 (CI, 0.7-1.8), and 0.8 (CI, 0.5-1.2), respectively, for the three levels of intake (vs. nondrinking). Alcohol consumption was not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in this cohort.
Schatzkin
A
A
Cancer Prevention Studies Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Carter
C L
CL
Green
S B
SB
Kreger
B E
BE
Splansky
G L
GL
Anderson
K M
KM
Helsel
W E
WE
Kannel
W B
WB
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk