Breast cancer relapse affected by these lifestyle factors

In women with estrogen receptor-positive invasive breast cancer, three potentially modifiable lifestyle factors-obesity, current smoking, and alcohol consumption-may increase the risk of contralateral breast cancer, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Christopher I. Li, MD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and colleagues studied 365 patients with a first primary invasive breast cancer and a second primary contralateral invasive breast cancer and 726 matched controls with only a first primary invasive breast cancer.

The researchers found that obesity, current smoking, and consumption of at least seven alcoholic beverages per week were strongly associated with an increased risk of contralateral breast cancer (OR, 1.4, 2.2, and 1.9, respectively). They also found that the risk was compounded in current smokers who consumed at least seven alcoholic beverages per week (OR, 7.2).

Li CI, Daling Jr, Porter PL, et al. Relationship between potentially modifiable lifestyle factors and risk of second primary contralateral breast cancer among women diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive invasive breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Sep 8. [Epub ahead of print]