Alcohol and ovarian cancer risk: results from the Netherlands Cohort Study.
OBJECTIVE
To study alcohol consumption in relation to ovarian cancer risk in a prospective cohort study.


METHODS
The Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer was initiated in 1986. A self-administered questionnaire on dietary habits and other risk factors for cancer was completed by 62,573 postmenopausal women. Follow-up for cancer was established by annual record linkages with the Netherlands Cancer Registry. After 9.3 years of follow-up, 214 incident invasive epithelial ovarian cancer cases and 2211 subcohort members with complete data on alcohol intake were available for analysis. All incidence rate ratios (RRs) were corrected for age, use of oral contraceptives, parity, height, body mass index, energy intake and current cigarette smoking.


RESULTS
The RRs of ovarian cancer for women who consumed up to 5, 15 and >15 g of alcohol per day were 1.13 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 0.79-1.63), 0.85 (95% CI = 0.53-1.37) and 0.92 (95% CI = 0.55-1.54), respectively, compared to non-drinkers. Alcohol consumption in the form of wine, beer or liquor was not associated with ovarian cancer risk.


CONCLUSIONS
These data do not suggest a major association between alcohol intake and ovarian cancer risk in this population.
Schouten
Leo J
LJ
Department of Epidemiology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. lj.schouten@epid.unimaas.nl
Zeegers
Maurice P A
MP
Goldbohm
R Alexandra
RA
van den Brandt
Piet A
PA
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires