Low-to-moderate alcohol intake and breast cancer risk in Chinese women
2011

Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk in Chinese Women

Sample size: 2018 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Zhang M, Holman C D J

Primary Institution: The University of Western Australia

Hypothesis

What is the effect of low-to-moderate alcohol intake on breast cancer risk in Chinese women?

Conclusion

Low-to-moderate alcohol intake was not associated with increased risk of breast cancer in pre- or postmenopausal Chinese women.

Supporting Evidence

  • Low-to-moderate alcohol consumption was inversely associated with breast cancer risk.
  • Adjusted odds ratios for alcohol <5 g per day were 0.41 in postmenopausal and 0.62 in premenopausal women.
  • An increased risk was found for alcohol intake of ⩾15 g per day in postmenopausal women with discordant receptor status.

Takeaway

Drinking a little alcohol doesn't seem to make Chinese women more likely to get breast cancer.

Methodology

A case-control study was conducted with 1009 breast cancer cases and 1009 age-matched controls, assessing alcohol consumption through interviews.

Potential Biases

Potential selection bias from the choice of hospital controls.

Limitations

25.2% of cases had no ER/PR information, and the study may not assess the effect of higher alcohol intake due to low consumption levels.

Participant Demographics

Participants were Chinese women aged 20 to 87 years, with 1009 breast cancer cases and 1009 controls.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.001

Confidence Interval

0.27–0.62

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/bjc.2011.302

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