Alcohol intake increases high-grade prostate cancer risk among men taking dutasteride in the REDUCE trial

Although most studies found no association between alcohol intake and prostate cancer (PCa) risk, an analysis of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial found that high alcohol intake significantly increased PCa risk among men randomized to the 5α-reductase inhibitor (5-ARI) finasteride.

Determine whether alcohol affects PCa risk among men taking the 5-ARI dutasteride.

Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events was a 4-yr, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to compare PCa after dutasteride administration (0.5mg/d) with placebo. Participants had a baseline prostate-specific antigen between 2.5 and 10.0 ng/ml and a recent negative prostate biopsy. Alcohol intake was determined by baseline questionnaire, and participants underwent a prostate biopsy to determine PCa status at 2 yr and 4 yr of follow-up.

Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between alcohol intake and low-grade (Gleason <7) and high-grade (Gleason >7) PCa.

Of 6374 participants in our analysis, approximately 25% reported no alcohol consumption, 49% were moderate drinkers (one to seven drinks per week), and 26% were heavy drinkers (more than seven drinks per week). Alcohol intake was not associated with low- or high-grade PCa in the placebo arm and was not associated with low-grade PCa among men taking dutasteride. In contrast, men randomized to dutasteride and reporting more than seven drinks per week were 86% more likely to be diagnosed with high-grade PCa (p=0.01). Among alcohol abstainers, dutasteride was associated with significantly reduced risk of high-grade PCa (OR: 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38-0.90), but dutasteride was no longer associated with reduced high-grade PCa among men reporting high alcohol intake (OR: 0.99; 95% CI, 0.67-1.45).

Alcohol consumption negated a protective association between dutasteride and high-grade PCa.

We confirmed a prior study that alcohol affects PCa prevention in patients taking 5-ARIs. Patients taking 5-ARIs may wish to eliminate alcohol intake if they are concerned about PCa.