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Alcohol consumption increased risk for breast cancer recurrence by 34%
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San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
Consuming three-to-four alcoholic drinks per week may increase the risk for recurrence among women with early-stage breast cancer, according to the results of the LACE study.
Marilyn L. Kwan, PhD, staff scientist in the division of research at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif., presented results from the study during the 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
“We need confirmation from other large prospective studies of breast cancer survivors before we can make any lifestyle recommendations,” Kwan said. “This study suggests that after a breast cancer diagnosis, women should possibly consider limiting consumption of alcohol.”
In LACE, a prospective cohort study, researchers recruited 1,897 women who had survived early-stage breast cancer. Participants submitted information on their consumption of beer, wine and liquor via questionnaire. A medium-sized drink was defined as 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine or 1 oz of liquor. Slightly fewer than half of the participants were nondrinkers, meaning they consumed less than 5 oz of alcohol per day.
After eight years of follow-up there were 349 recurrences and 332 deaths.
Kwan said drinking more than 6 oz of alcohol per day, roughly three-to-four drinks per week, was associated with increased risk for recurrence (HR=1.34; 95% CI, 1.00-1.82) and death (HR=1.51; 95% CI, 1.00-2.28) compared with nondrinkers.
The effect was even more pronounced among obese or overweight women and postmenopausal women. –– by Jason Harris
For more information:
- Kwan ML. #17. Presented at: the 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; Dec. 8-12, 2009; San Antonio, Texas.
Kwan et al showed what we’ve always suspected: There’s an increase in recurrence and breast cancer death associated with alcohol, mostly in postmenopausal women, and the impact may be worse in obese women. They did not find an increase total deaths, which pulls together some of the previous literature. Our message about alcohol to women with breast cancer may have to be as nuanced as our message to women who don’t have breast cancer. Yes, alcohol may indeed increase the risk for recurrence and death from breast cancer. However, with the very high survival rates of women with early-stage breast cancer, many patients live long enough to get heart disease. Alcohol may not increase risk for total death because it is preventing women of dying from heart disease.
–Michelle D. Holmes, MD, DrPH
Associate
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
