Abstract A57: Alcohol consumption and plasma sex steroids in premenopausal women

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Alcohol consumption is a consistent risk factor for breast cancer, and evidence suggests premenopausal plasma hormones are associated with breast cancer. In this study, we examined the association between alcohol consumption and plasma sex steroid hormones in premenopausal women. Methods: We assessed the cross-sectional association between alcohol intake and circulating sex steroid concentrations among 2,034 premenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII). Plasma concentrations of estradiol, estrone, estrone sulfate, testosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were measured in samples collected in 1996-99. Estrogens were measured in both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, while androgens were measured in the luteal phase as well as in random samples that were not timed in the menstrual cycle. Average alcohol intake was calculated from semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires collected in 1995 and 1999. Results: Alcohol consumption was positively association with concentrations of luteal estrone (p-trend<0.0001) and luteal estradiol (p-trend=0.0001). Women who consumed more than 20 grams of alcohol per day, compared with non-drinkers, had higher concentrations of luteal estrone (geometric mean 98.0 vs. 79.9 pg/mL) and luteal estradiol (152.5 vs. 123.3 pg/mL). We did not observe statistically significant associations between alcohol and follicular estrogens, luteal estrone sulfate, testosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, prolactin, DHEA or DHEAS. Conclusion: Alcohol consumption was significantly positively associated with luteal estrogen concentrations, but not with plasma androgen levels, nor estrogens measured in the follicular phase. Thus, luteal estrogen levels may mediate the association between alcohol and breast cancer. Citation Format: Kelly A. Hirko, Susan E. Hankinson, A. Heather Eliassen. Alcohol consumption and plasma sex steroids in premenopausal women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr A57.