Coffee May Help Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence

LUND, SwedenDrinking coffee may help decrease the risk of breast cancer recurring in patients taking the widely used drug Tamoxifen, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Causes Control. The findings suggest patients who took the pill, along with 2 or more cups of coffee daily, reported less than half the rate of cancer recurrence, compared with their Tamoxifen-taking counterparts who drank 1 cup or less.

Researchers at Lund University investigated the impact of coffee consumption on tumor characteristics and risk for early events in relation to breast cancer treatment and CYP1A2 and CYP2C8 genotypes. They followed more than 600 breast cancer patients from southern Sweden for an average of five years. Approximately 300 took Tamoxifen, which is a common hormone therapy after breast cancer surgery that reduces the risk of new tumors by blocking oestrogen receptors. How coffee interacts with the treatment, however, isnt immediately known.

One theory we are working with is that coffee activates Tamoxifen and makes it more efficient," said Maria Simonsson, doctoral student in oncology at Lund University.

The same researchers have previously linked coffee consumption to a decreased risk of developing certain types of breast cancer. Caffeine also has been shown to hamper the growth of cancer cells. The latest observational study involving coffees role in cancer prevention and treatment underlines the need for more research, the researchers said.