Abstract:
Consumption of alcohol increases the risk of Breast cancer as revealed in many studies. In 2008, cancer killed
7.6 million people worldwide. In Kenya, one in every eight women had the disease with 2, 2000 deaths in 2011.
A matched hospital case control study was carried out to estimate the risk of breast cancer among drinkers and
nondrinkers in TransNzoia County. One hundred and fifty participants, 50 cases and 100 controls were included
and matched for age (±2) years and residence (1 case to 2 controls). A questionnaire was administered to
participants identified from breast cancer registers. Data was collected and analyzed using SPSS version 20 for
descriptive statistics. Chi square was used to test association of alcohol and breast cancer. Alcohol measured as
ever versus never with OR of 1.558 (p=0.044, 95% CI). Odds ratios > 0-5 and 5 grams of use per day among
drinkers and nondrinkers being 1.8 (p=0.02, 95% CI) and 1.0 (p=0.06, 95% CI) respectively. The OR for the
time when an individual began drinking was 1.2 (p=0.06 95% CI) but the risk increased with the period
consumed 3.2 (P=0.01, 95% CI).This study demonstrated an association between alcohol consumption and
breast cancer among women alcohol drinkers and non drinker
