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Changes in patterns of use of cigarettes and alcohol in women after a first diagnosis of invasive breast cancer: a cohort study of women from Victoria, Australia

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Abstract

Purpose

Smoking and alcohol consumption after breast cancer diagnosis have received little attention. The aim of this study was to describe the change in smoking and alcohol consumption of women in the BUPA Health Foundation Health and Wellbeing After Breast Cancer Study in the first 2 years after diagnosis.

Methods

We documented cigarette and alcohol use at diagnosis in a prospective cohort study of 1,588 Australian women with invasive breast cancer in an enrolment questionnaire and again 2 years later (follow-up questionnaire, FQ1).

Results

Twelve percent of participants smoked at diagnosis. Nearly one third of these had quit by FQ1 and of those continuing, 1 in 4 were smoking fewer cigarettes per day. Smoking more at diagnosis was significantly associated with smoking at FQ1.Over 70% of women reported consuming alcohol in each questionnaire. The proportion of women consuming more than four alcoholic drinks per occasion at least weekly dropped between the time of diagnosis and FQ1, although by FQ1, 1 in 12 women still reported this drinking pattern.

Conclusions

Smoking and alcohol consumption are important health issues for women with breast cancer. Health care providers should consider using evidence-based interventions to reduce smoking and drinking in this group.

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Abbreviations

EQ:

Enrolment questionnaire

FQ1:

First follow-up questionnaire

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the study participants and the members of our Study Advisory Group: Dr. Jacquie Chirgwin, A/Professor John Collins, Professor Graham Giles, Mr. Peter Gregory, Mr. Stewart Hart, Miss Suzanne Neil, and Mrs. Avis McPhee. The authors also wish to thank members of the research team of the Health and Well Being After Breast Cancer study, without whose hard work this large cohort study would not be possible (Maria La China, Pam Fradkin, and Jo Bradbury). Finally, we thank Ms Helen Farrugia, Director of Information Systems and Professor Graham Giles, Director, of the Victorian Cancer Registry, for their ongoing support of this study.

Funding

This work was supported by the British United Provident Association (BUPA) through the BUPA Health Foundation (previously the Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Limited Foundation), the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (Grants no. 219279 and 490938), Novartis Oncology Australia, the L.E.W. Carty Trust, the Jack and Robert Smorgon Families Foundation, Connie and Craig Kimberley and Roy Morgan Research. This research project was supported by the Victorian Government through a Victorian Cancer Agency Research Fellowship. Associate Professor Robin Bell is the recipient of the Victorian Cancer Agency Research Fellowship through the Victorian Cancer Agency. None of the funding agencies had any role in determining study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript or in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Conflict of interest

The authors do not consider that there were any financial or other competing interests in the preparation of this manuscript. The authors had full control over all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review their data if requested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s Health Program, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 6, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, VIC, Australia

    Robin J. Bell, Marijana Lijovic, Pamela Fradkin & Susan R. Davis

  2. Department of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Level 6, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, 3004, VIC, Australia

    Max Schwarz

  3. Alfred Health, Commercial Road, Melbourne, 3004, VIC, Australia

    Max Schwarz

Authors
  1. Robin J. Bell
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  2. Marijana Lijovic
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  3. Pamela Fradkin
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  4. Max Schwarz
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  5. Susan R. Davis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robin J. Bell.

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Bell, R.J., Lijovic, M., Fradkin, P. et al. Changes in patterns of use of cigarettes and alcohol in women after a first diagnosis of invasive breast cancer: a cohort study of women from Victoria, Australia. Support Care Cancer 20, 783–789 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1150-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1150-8

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