Sugar-Sweetened Soda Consumption and Total and Breast Cancer Mortality: The Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer (WEB) Study.

Abstract

There is growing evidence of an association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and increased risk of mortality in various populations. However, SSB influence on mortality among patients with breast cancer is unknown. We assessed the relationship between sugar-sweetened soda and both all-cause and breast cancer mortality among women with incident, invasive breast cancer from the Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer Study. Breast cancer cases were followed for a median of 18.7 years, with ascertainment of vital status via the National Death Index. Frequency of sugar-sweetened soda consumption was determined via dietary recall using a food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards, adjusting for relevant variables, were used to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of the 927 breast cancer cases, 386 (54.7%) had died by the end of follow-up. Compared with never/rarely sugar-sweetened soda drinkers, consumption at ≥5 times per week was associated with increased risk of both total (HR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.16-2.26; P trend < 0.01) and breast cancer mortality (HR = 1.85; 95% CI, 1.16-2.94; P trend < 0.01). Risk of mortality was similarly increased among ER-positive, but not ER-negative patients; among women with body mass index above the median, but not below the median; and among premenopausal, but not postmenopausal women for total mortality only. Reported higher frequency of sugar-sweetened soda intake was associated with increased risks of both total and breast cancer mortality among patients with breast cancer. These results support existing guidelines on reducing consumption of SSB, including for women with a diagnosis of breast cancer.