Alcohol, tobacco, and mammographic density: a population-based study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Radiology

Background:

• Mammographic density (MD) is a significant breast cancer risk factor.
• Previous studies suggest a positive association between alcohol consumption and MD.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for breast cancer risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and mammographic density in a large cohort of women.
• To explore potential modifications of these associations by menopausal status and smoking.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional multicenter study involving 3584 women aged 45-68.
• Data collected from seven screening centers within the Spanish breast cancer screening program.
• Ordinal logistic models with random center-specific intercepts used for analysis.

Main Results:

• A weak positive association was found between current alcohol intake and higher MD (OR=1.13).
• Higher daily alcohol intake showed a positive trend with increased MD (P=0.045).
• Smoking showed no significant association with MD, but increased cigarette consumption was negatively associated with high MD.

Conclusions:

• Recent alcohol consumption is associated with increased mammographic density, particularly in postmenopausal women and non-smokers.
• The effect of alcohol on MD is modified by menopausal status and smoking.
• Heavy alcohol consumption may be associated with a decreased risk of high MD in certain populations.