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ABSTRACT: Background
The mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced breast carcinogenesis are not fully understood but may involve hormonal changes.Methods
We investigated cross-sectional associations between self-reported alcohol intake and serum or plasma concentrations of oestradiol, oestrone, progesterone (in pre-menopausal women only), testosterone, androstenedione, DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate) and SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) in 45 431 pre-menopausal and 173 476 post-menopausal women. We performed multivariable linear regression separately for UK Biobank, EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) and EHBCCG (Endogenous Hormones and Breast Cancer Collaborative Group), and meta-analysed the results. For testosterone and SHBG, we also conducted two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) and colocalisation using the ADH1B (Alcohol Dehydrogenase 1B) variant (rs1229984).Results
Alcohol intake was positively, though weakly, associated with all hormones (except progesterone in pre-menopausal women), with increments in concentrations per 10 g/day increment in alcohol intake ranging from 1.7% for luteal oestradiol to 6.6% for post-menopausal DHEAS. There was an inverse association of alcohol with SHBG in post-menopausal women but a small positive association in pre-menopausal women. MR identified positive associations of alcohol intake with total testosterone (difference per 10 g/day increment: 4.1%; 95% CI: 0.6%, 7.6%) and free testosterone (7.8%; 4.1%, 11.5%), and an inverse association with SHBG (-8.1%; -11.3%, -4.9%). Colocalisation suggested a shared causal locus at ADH1B between alcohol intake and higher free testosterone and lower SHBG (PP4: 0.81 and 0.97 respectively).Conclusions
Alcohol intake was associated with small increases in sex hormone concentrations, including bioavailable fractions, which may contribute to its effect on breast cancer risk.
SUBMITTER: Tin ST
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10462228 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Tin Sandar Tin ST Smith-Byrne Karl K Ferrari Pietro P Rinaldi Sabina S McCullough Marjorie L ML Teras Lauren R LR Manjer Jonas J Giles Graham G Marchand Loïc Le LL Haiman Christopher A CA Wilkens Lynne R LR Chen Yu Y Hankinson Sue S Tworoger Shelley S Eliassen A Heather AH Willett Walter C WC Ziegler Regina G RG Fuhrman Barbara J BJ Sieri Sabina S Agnoli Claudia C Cauley Jane J Menon Usha U Fourkala Evangelia Ounia EO Rohan Thomas E TE Kaaks Rudolf R Reeves Gillian K GK Key Timothy J TJ
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<h4>Background</h4>The mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced breast carcinogenesis are not fully understood but may involve hormonal changes.<h4>Methods</h4>We investigated cross-sectional associations between self-reported alcohol intake and serum or plasma concentrations of oestradiol, oestrone, progesterone (in pre-menopausal women only), testosterone, androstenedione, DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate) and SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) in 45 431 pre-menopausal and 173 476 post-men ...[more]