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. 2015 Jan 31;17(1):15.
doi: 10.1186/s13058-015-0521-3.

Coffee and tea consumption and risk of pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort study

Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy  1   2   3 , Petra H M Peeters  4   5 , Cuno S P M Uiterwaal  6 , H Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita  7   8   9   10 , Awang M Bulgiba  11 , Bodil Hammer Bech  12 , Kim Overvad  13 , Anne Tjønneland  14 , Anja Olsen  15 , Françoise Clavel-Chapelon  16   17 , Guy Fagherazzi  18   19 , Florence Perquier  20   21 , Birgit Teucher  22 , Rudolf Kaaks  23 , Madlen Schütze  24 , Heiner Boeing  25 , Pagona Lagiou  26 , Philippos Orfanos  27 , Antonia Trichopoulou  28   29 , Claudia Agnoli  30 , Amalia Mattiello  31 , Domenico Palli  32 , Rosario Tumino  33 , Carlotta Sacerdote  34 , Franzel J B van Duijnhoven  35   36 , Tonje Braaten  37 , Eiliv Lund  38 , Guri Skeie  39 , María-Luisa Redondo  40 , Genevieve Buckland  41 , Maria José Sánchez Pérez  42   43 , Maria-Dolores Chirlaque  44   45 , Eva Ardanaz  46   47 , Pilar Amiano  48   49 , Elisabet Wirfält  50 , Peter Wallström  51 , Ingegerd Johansson  52 , Lena Maria Nilsson  53 , Kay-Tee Khaw  54 , Nick Wareham  55 , Naomi E Allen  56 , Timothy J Key  57 , Sabina Rinaldi  58 , Isabelle Romieu  59 , Valentina Gallo  60   61 , Elio Riboli  62 , Carla H van Gils  63
Affiliations

Coffee and tea consumption and risk of pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort study

Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy et al. Breast Cancer Res. .

Abstract

Introduction: Specific coffee subtypes and tea may impact risk of pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer differently. We investigated the association between coffee (total, caffeinated, decaffeinated) and tea intake and risk of breast cancer.

Methods: A total of 335,060 women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Nutrition and Cancer (EPIC) Study, completed a dietary questionnaire from 1992 to 2000, and were followed-up until 2010 for incidence of breast cancer. Hazard ratios (HR) of breast cancer by country-specific, as well as cohort-wide categories of beverage intake were estimated.

Results: During an average follow-up of 11 years, 1064 premenopausal, and 9134 postmenopausal breast cancers were diagnosed. Caffeinated coffee intake was associated with lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer: adjusted HR=0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82 to 0.98, for high versus low consumption; Ptrend=0.029. While there was no significant effect modification by hormone receptor status (P=0.711), linear trend for lower risk of breast cancer with increasing caffeinated coffee intake was clearest for estrogen and progesterone receptor negative (ER-PR-), postmenopausal breast cancer (P=0.008). For every 100 ml increase in caffeinated coffee intake, the risk of ER-PR- breast cancer was lower by 4% (adjusted HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.00). Non-consumers of decaffeinated coffee had lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (adjusted HR=0.89; 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.99) compared to low consumers, without evidence of dose-response relationship (Ptrend=0.128). Exclusive decaffeinated coffee consumption was not related to postmenopausal breast cancer risk, compared to any decaffeinated-low caffeinated intake (adjusted HR=0.97; 95% CI: 0.82 to 1.14), or to no intake of any coffee (HR: 0.96; 95%: 0.82 to 1.14). Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were not associated with premenopausal breast cancer. Tea intake was neither associated with pre- nor post-menopausal breast cancer.

Conclusions: Higher caffeinated coffee intake may be associated with lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Decaffeinated coffee intake does not seem to be associated with breast cancer.

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