Caffeine Consumption Doesn't Raise Overall Breast Cancer Risk

The team pointed out that since such types of breast cancer and/or tumors in excess of two centimeters are associated with poorer outcomes, it's important to continue to investigate whether or not caffeine truly has a negative impact on the ongoing development of specific kinds of breast cancer -- even if the general risk remains insignificant.

Dr. Alan Astrow, director of the division of hematology/oncology at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City, suggested that the findings are both comforting and preliminary.

"Overall, the results of this study should be reassuring to women who are concerned about their risk of breast cancer and who also like to drink coffee moderately," he said. "However, the field of diet and breast cancer risk remains one of active research, and the results of these kinds of investigations are not always easy to interpret. It is possible that future studies will show a different result."

Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician-in-chief of Breast Cancer Programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, agreed.

The findings "might motivate further studies [which the authors propose], but are not definitive in themselves," he said. "Hence, there is nothing in this paper to suggest that at this time someone should not consume caffeine for fear of increasing her risk of developing breast cancer."

More information

For more on diet and cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Shumin M. Zhang, M.D., Sc.D., division of preventive medicine, department of medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston; Alan Astrow, M.D., director, division of hematology/oncology, Maimonides Medical Center, New York City; Larry Norton, M.D., deputy physician-in-chief, Breast Cancer Programs, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City; Oct. 13, 2008,Archives of Internal Medicine