Jan. 23 - Caffeine Found to Reduce Ovarian Cancer Risk
A new study has found that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption
do not have an effect on ovarian cancer risk, while caffeine
intake may lower the risk, particularly in women not using hormones.
The study is published in the March 1, 2008 issue of CANCER,
a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
Various studies have assessed the potential
link between modifiable factors such as smoking or caffeine
and alcohol intake and have generated conflicting results. To
help clarify these associations, Dr. Shelley S. Tworoger, of
Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health,
and colleagues examined ongoing questionnaire data from the
Brigham and Women's Hospital-based Nurses' Health Study, which
includes 121,701 US female registered nurses. The Nurses' Health
Study cohort was established in 1976, when women aged 30-35
completed and returned initial questionnaires. Every two years,
questionnaires are sent to the women to update exposure variables
and document newly diagnosed diseases.
Dr. Tworoger and her co-investigators prospectively
examined associations between smoking and ovarian cancer risk
among 110,454 women and between alcohol or caffeine and ovarian
cancer risk among 80,253 women, all followed between June 1,
1976 and June 1, 2004. For the smoking analyses, they identified
737 confirmed cases of epithelial ovarian cancer, and for the
dietary analyses, they identified 507 cases.
There was no association between current or
past smoking and ovarian cancer risk, however smoking status,
duration, and pack-years were significantly associated with
risk of mucinous tumors, a rare form of ovarian cancer. The
authors also found no association between alcohol consumption
and ovarian cancer risk. However they observed an inverse trend
of risk with total caffeine and caffeinated coffee intake, but
no association with decaffeinated coffee. The potential reduction
in risk with higher caffeine intake appeared to be strongest
for women who had never used oral contraceptives or postmenopausal
hormones.
The authors concluded that "reducing alcohol
intake and cessation of smoking is not likely to have a substantial
impact on risk of ovarian cancer." They add that "the
possibility that caffeine may reduce ovarian cancer risk, particularly
for women who have not previously used exogenous hormones, is
intriguing and warrants further study, including an evaluation
of possible biological mechanisms."
Source: Wiley-Blackwell
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