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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Alcohol consumption, endogenous estrogen and mammographic density among premenopausal women

Authors: Hanne Frydenberg, Vidar G. Flote, Ine M. Larsson, Emily S. Barrett, Anne-Sofie Furberg, Giske Ursin, Tom Wilsgaard, Peter T. Ellison, Anne McTiernan, Anette Hjartåker, Grazyna Jasienska, Inger Thune

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Introduction

Alcohol consumption may promote aromatization of androgens to estrogens, which may partly explain the observations linking alcohol consumption to higher breast cancer risk. Whether alcohol consumption is associated with endogenous estrogen levels, and mammographic density phenotypes in premenopausal women remains unclear.

Methods

Alcohol consumption was collected by self-report and interview, using semi quantitative food frequency questionnaires, and a food diary during seven days of a menstrual cycle among 202 premenopausal women, participating in the Energy Balance and Breast Cancer Aspects (EBBA) study I. Estrogen was assessed in serum and daily in saliva across an entire menstrual cycle. Computer-assisted mammographic density (Madena) was obtained from digitized mammograms taken between days 7–12 of the menstrual cycle. Multivariable regression models were used to investigate the associations between alcohol consumption, endogenous estrogen and mammographic density phenotypes.

Results

Current alcohol consumption was positively associated with endogenous estrogen, and absolute mammographic density. We observed 18 % higher mean salivary 17β-estradiol levels throughout the menstrual cycle, among women who consumed more than 10 g of alcohol per day compared to women who consumed less than 10 g of alcohol per day (p = 0.034). Long-term and past-year alcohol consumption was positively associated with mammographic density. We observed a positive association between alcohol consumption (past year) and absolute mammographic density; high alcohol consumers (≥7 drinks/week) had a mean absolute mammographic density of 46.17 cm2 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 39.39, 52.95), while low alcohol consumers (<1 drink/week) had a mean absolute mammographic density of 31.26 cm2 (95 % CI 25.89, 36.64) (p-trend 0.001). After adjustments, high consumers of alcohol (≥7 drinks/week), had 5.08 (95 % CI 1.82, 14.20) times higher odds of having absolute mammographic density above median (>32.4 cm2), compared to low (<1 drink/week) alcohol consumers.

Conclusion

Alcohol consumption was positively associated with daily endogenous estrogen levels and mammographic density in premenopausal women. These associations could point to an important area of breast cancer prevention.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Alcohol consumption, endogenous estrogen and mammographic density among premenopausal women
Authors
Hanne Frydenberg
Vidar G. Flote
Ine M. Larsson
Emily S. Barrett
Anne-Sofie Furberg
Giske Ursin
Tom Wilsgaard
Peter T. Ellison
Anne McTiernan
Anette Hjartåker
Grazyna Jasienska
Inger Thune
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-015-0620-1

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