Coffee and alcohol intake and risk of ovarian cancer: An Italian case-control study

The relation between coffee and alcohol intake and ovarian cancer risk was analyzed in a case-control study conducted in Italy between 1992 and 1999. Cases were 1,031 women, aged 18-79 years, with incident, histologically con firmed invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, and controls were 2,411 women, a ged 17-79 years, admitted to the hospital for acute nonneoplastic non-hormo ne-related diseases. Coffee intake (mostly espresso and mocha) was not asso ciated with ovarian cancer risk, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.93 [95 % conf idence interval (CI) = 0.69-1.27] in drinkers of greater than or equal to4 cups/day compared with drinkers of <1 cup/day. No meaningful relation was o bserved with cappuccino (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.85-1,32 for drinkers compare d with nondrinkers), decaffeinated coffee (OR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.42-0.96), an d tea intake (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.75-1,08). Total alcohol intake was not associated with ovarian cancer risk (OR = 1.09, 95 % CI = 0.76-1.57 in drin kers of greater than or equal to 36 g/day compared with never drinkers), No relationship was found with wine (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.70-1.50 for > 39 g /day compared with never drinkers), beer, amari, grappa, and spirits. No si gnificant heterogeneity was found for coffee or total alcohol intake across strata of age, education, parity, oral contraceptive use, family history o f ovarian/breast cancer, body mass index, and calorie intake, This study, b ased on a large data set, provides no support for a causal association betw een invasive epithelial ovarian cancer risk and coffee and alcohol intake.