Coffee Consumption and Disease-Free Progression in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer
Posted: Tuesday, October 23, 2018
A study published in The Journal of Urology found that limited coffee consumption may have some correlation with a decreased risk for grade progression in men with prostate cancer under active surveillance (AS). However, the investigators added, low-to-moderate intake of coffee did not appear to be associated with improved progression-free survival in this patient population.
“Low to moderate coffee intake appears safe in men on AS for localized prostate cancer,” concluded Justin R. Gregg, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues. “Further work is needed to determine if high consumption is associated with shorter progression-free survival in sensitive groups.”
A total of 411 men with localized prostate cancer and a Gleason score of 6 or 7 were enrolled in the study. All participants completed a baseline dietary assessment and, for at least 6 months during the course of the study, underwent an AS protocol including biennial monitoring. Researchers also evaluated patient genotype for single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs762551, which is related to caffeine metabolism.
At a median follow-up of 36 months, 76 participants (18.5%) had experienced disease progression as defined by an increase in Gleason score. Compared with participants drinking 0 cups of coffee daily, those drinking less than 1 cup daily (hazard ratio = 0.85), 1 to 1.9 cups daily (hazard ratio = 0.64), 2 to 3.9 cups daily (hazard ratio = 0.71), or at least 4 cups daily (hazard ratio = 1.67) did not experience a significant association between coffee consumption and progression-free survival. However, patients with a low-to-moderate coffee intake who also had the AA “fast caffeine metabolizer” genotype were at a decreased risk for grade progression compared with those who did not consume any coffee (hazard ratio = 0.36).
