Breast cancer survival in African American women: is alcohol consumption a prognostic indicator?

OBJECTIVE: Compromised breast cancer survival in African American women is well established. Factors associated with poorer survival in this group are not fully elucidated. This analysis examined the influence of alcohol consumption on breast cancer survival in African American women accrued to a hospital-based study. METHODS: One hundred twenty-five postmenopausal women (mean age = 64.2 +/- 12.2 years) diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma between August 1989 and December 1994, and accrued to a hospital-based study of the disease, were followed for survival through December 1998. Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for cigarette smoking, summary stage of disease, and treatment explored the association between alcohol use and breast cancer survival. RESULTS: Premorbid alcohol consumption of at least one drink per week was associated with 2.7-fold increase in risk of death (95% CI 1.3-5.8). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests compromised breast cancer survival among postmenopausal women who reported drinking at least one alcoholic beverage per week, a preliminary finding that warrants further investigation.