An analysis of two recent epidemiologic reports in the New England Journal of Medicine associating breast cancer in women with moderate alcohol consumption.
Two cohort studies showed an association between moderate alcohol consumption and breast cancer, with an apparent relative risk of 1.50. Drinkers and nondrinkers already differed in important ways at the initiation of these two studies, precluding a causal interpretation of the associations found. Women in need of the relaxing effect of alcohol may indeed be the group at higher risk for breast cancer. Inasmuch as the studies did not inquire into other cancers, morbidities, mortalities, or total mortality, they leave open the possibility that, on balance, moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial.
Mantel
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Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, American University, Potomac, Maryland 20854.
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors