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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Aug 20.
Published in final edited form as: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014 Mar 17;23(6):934–945. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0901

Table 2.

Association of alcohol consumption and mortality in breast cancer cases with ER-positive tumors

Study Alcohol intakea (U/wk) N Univariate
Multivariateb
Events HR (95% CI) Events HR (95% CI)
Overall mortality
SEARCH
Nondrinker 1,273    218 1 (Ref.) 180 1 (Ref.)
≤7 2,300    390 0.96 (0.82–1.14) 332 1.02 (0.84–1.22)
>7– ≤14    861    132 0.85 (0.68–1.05) 112 0.90 (0.71–1.14)
>14    396      56 0.77 (0.58–1.03)   47 0.89 (0.64–1.23)
Linear (per category) 4,830    796 0.92 (0.85–0.99) 671 0.95 (0.87–1.04)
EPIC
Nondrinker    807      87 1 (Ref.)   50 1 (Ref.)
≤7 2,674    256 0.88 (0.69–1.14) 119 1.08 (0.76–1.53)
>7– ≤14 1,066      97 0.80 (0.59–1.08)   43 0.92 (0.60–1.41)
>14 1,206    116 0.83 (0.62–1.12)   51 0.92 (0.61–1.39)
Linear (per category) 5,753    556 0.94 (0.86–1.03) 263 0.95 (0.84–1.08)
BCAC
Nondrinker 2,209    423 1 (Ref.) 219 1 (Ref.)
≤7 2,725    402 0.64 (0.54–0.75) 313 0.56 (0.47–0.68)
>7– ≤14    920    131 0.72 (0.59–0.88)   79 0.68 (0.52–0.88)
>14    982    147 0.74 (0.61–0.91)   84 0.64 (0.49–0.83)
Linear (per category) 6,836 1,103 0.90 (0.84–0.95) 695 0.85 (0.78–0.93)
Breast cancer–specific mortality
SEARCH
Nondrinker 1,273    158 1 (Ref.) 131 1 (Ref.)
≤7 2,300    317 1.08 (0.89–1.31) 274 1.15 (0.93–1.42)
>7– ≤14    861    101 0.90 (0.70–1.15)   84 0.94 (0.71–1.24)
>14    396      47 0.90 (0.65–1.24)   38 1.01 (0.70–1.46)
Linear (per category) 4,830    623 0.95 (0.87–1.04) 527 0.98 (0.89–1.09)
EPIC
Nondrinker    807      45 1 (Ref.)   24 1 (Ref.)
≤7 2,674    121 0.90 (0.62–1.29)   52 1.33 (0.78–2.27)
>7– ≤14 1,066      42 0.76 (0.49–1.19)   17 1.18 (0.61–2.29)
>14 1,206      46 0.76 (0.49–1.18)   17 1.12 (0.57–2.17)
Linear (per category) 5,753    254 0.91 (0.79–1.04) 110 1.01 (0.83–1.24)
BCAC
Nondrinker 2,209    203 1 (Ref.)   74 1 (Ref.)
≤7 2,725    164 0.65 (0.51–0.83) 116 0.58 (0.41–0.81)
>7– ≤14    920      52 0.83 (0.61–1.14)   22 0.97 (0.59–1.58)
>14    982      53 0.84 (0.62–1.14)   21 0.76 (0.46–1.26)
Linear (per category) 6,836    472 0.93 (0.84–1.02) 233 0.92 (0.78–1.09)
a

SEARCH reported postdiagnosis alcohol consumption, whereas EPIC and BCAC reported prediagnosis alcohol consumption.

b

Adjusted for stage, grade, BMI, smoking status, SES, and menopausal status (EPIC estimates were also adjusted for country).