Abstract P5-08-02: Association of daily alcohol intake, volumetric density and breast cancer risk
Authors: Vachon Celine Marie , Scott Christopher G. , Winham Stacey J , Shepherd John A , Brandt Kathleen R , Jensen Matthew R , Hruska Carrie B , Heine John J , Pankratz V. Shane , Kerlikowske Karla 
Published: March 2020

Background: Alcohol intake and breast density are established risk factors for breast cancer (BC). A few studies suggest breast density is on the causal pathway between alcohol and BC but the literature is not consistent. We examine the interrelationship between alcohol, volumetric breast density and BC risk, specifically whether there is a stronger alcohol and BC association among women with dense breasts and/or whether breast density mediates the alcohol and BC association.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study within the San Francisco Mammography Registry consisting of four breast screening centers. From 2006-2013, through linkages with the California cancer registry, we identified 2572 women diagnosed with BC who had screening mammograms performed at least six months prior to diagnosis. Controls (5119) were matched to cases on age, date of earliest mammogram, race/ethnicity, facility, and mammography machine. We obtained the raw format of digital mammograms on average 3.1 (standard deviation (SD) =1.7) years prior to diagnosis or corresponding date for controls. We ascertained usual daily alcohol intake and other risk factors from a clinical questionnaire at time of mammography. We obtained BI-RADS density from clinical records and used VolparaTM to assess volumetric percent density, dense volume and non-dense volume from the mammogram. We examined the associations of daily alcohol intake (none, one or less, two or more drinks per day) and volumetric density phenotypes (per 1 SD) with BC risk using logistic regression (odds ratios, OR; 95% confidence intervals, CI; and trend tests). We examined deviation from multiplicative interaction using chi-squared tests. We evaluated mediation of the alcohol and BC association by volumetric density measures using logistic regression to estimate the association between alcohol use and BC with and without adjustment for density measures. Percent mediation was estimated using the differences in the log OR estimates from the two models. All models were adjusted for age, 1/BMI and menopause and matching factors. Analyses were also stratified by menopausal status.

Results: Alcohol intake was available on 2233 cases and 4562 controls, 88% of those eligible. BC cases and controls had similar age (57.2 years (SD=11.5) vs. 57.1 years (SD=11.5)), BMI (25.3 kg/m2 (SD=5.3) vs. 24.9 kg/ m2 (SD=5.1)) and race (69.0% vs. 68.2% Caucasian). Cases were more likely to drink alcohol daily than controls (52.1% vs. 49.0%), in particular two or more drinks per day (14.8% vs. 13.2%). Alcohol was associated with increased BC risk (OR=1.14, 95% CI:1.02-1.27, for one or less drinks per day and OR=1.22, 95% CI:1.05-1.42 for 2 or more drinks per day) compared to non-drinkers (p-trend=0.004). Percent volumetric density (OR=1.45 per SD, 95%CI: 1.36-1.56,) and dense volume (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.24-1.37) were also positively associated with BC risk; non-dense volume was inversely associated (OR=0.93, 95%CI: 0.86-1.01). Associations were similar by menopausal subgroup. There was no evidence for a differential association of alcohol and breast cancer risk by dense breasts assessed using any of the density phenotypes examined (all P’s&gt;0.1). However, the association between alcohol and overall risk of BC was partially mediated by dense volume among all women (percent mediated=25%, P=0.01) and postmenopausal women (percent mediated=19%, P=0.03).

Conclusions: The association of daily alcohol intake and breast cancer risk was similar among women with dense and non-dense breasts. However, dense volume partially mediated the association between alcohol and risk of breast cancer, particularly among postmenopausal women, suggesting that alcohol partially influences breast cancer risk through changes in breast tissue composition.

Citation Format: Celine Marie Vachon, Christopher G. Scott, Stacey J Winham, John A Shepherd, Kathleen R Brandt, Matthew R Jensen, Carrie B Hruska, John J Heine, V. Shane Pankratz, Karla Kerlikowske. Association of daily alcohol intake, volumetric density and breast cancer risk [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-08-02.