Alcohol and risk of breast cancer in Mexican women.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the relationship between alcohol intake and breast cancer risk among Mexican women. This association may be modified by folate and Vitamin B12.


METHODS
A population-based case-control study conducted in Mexico recruited 1,000 incident breast cancer cases aged 35-69 and 1,074 controls matched on age, region, and health care system. In-person interviews were conducted to assess breast cancer risk factors and recent diet using a food frequency questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression models estimated adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
Over one-half (57%) of cases and less than one-half of controls (45%) reported any lifetime alcohol consumption. Compared with never drinkers, women reporting ever drinking (Adjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.99-1.58) had a greater odds of breast cancer. There was evidence for interaction in the association between ever consuming any alcohol and breast cancer by folate (p for interaction = 0.04) suggesting women with lower folate intake had a higher odds of breast cancer (Adjusted OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.26-3.16) compared to women with higher folate intake (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.69-1.83).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support evidence that any alcohol intake increases risk of breast cancer. Insufficient intake of folate may further elevate risk for developing breast cancer among women who consume alcohol.
Beasley
Jeannette M
JM
Group Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue Suite 1600, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA. jbeasley@fhcrc.org
Coronado
Gloria D
GD
Livaudais
Jennifer
J
Angeles-Llerenas
Angélica
A
Ortega-Olvera
Carolina
C
Romieu
Isabelle
I
Lazcano-Ponce
Eduardo
E
Torres-Mejía
Gabriela
G
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004032:Diet; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014805:Vitamin B 12
D000431:Ethanol; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12