Alcohol Consumption Increases Breast Cancer Risk

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer in women according to a study presented on Thursday at the European Cancer Conference (ECCO 14) as detailed in a press release. Researchers estimated that excessive drinking (three or more drinks a day) is similar in breast cancer risk to smoking an entire pack of cigarettes a day. The study determined the kind of alcohol had no affect on the rate of breast cancer, but the quantity consumed affects the chance of triggering the onset of breast cancer. Researchers determined that it was not the type of alcohol that caused breast cancer, but the actual alcohol (ethyl alcohol) contained in the drink.

"Population studies have consistently linked drinking alcohol to an increased risk of female breast cancer, but there has been little data, most of it conflicting, about an independent role played by the choice of beverage type," explained Dr Arthur Klatsky, co author of the study in a press release.

Researchers examined data from 70,033 women who gave health information during medical examinations during 1978-1985. In 2004, follow ups indicated that 2,829 of the women in the study were diagnosed with breast cancer. The study examined alcohol preferences, frequency of drinking one type of alcohol, and overall alcohol consumption. Although there was no correlation between types of alcohol and breast cancer, high consumption of any alcohol was linked with a significantly increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Even one to two drinks a day increased the risk of breast cancer by 10 percent.

In the press release Dr Klatsky said: "Statistical analyses limited to strata of wine preferrers, beer preferrers, spririts preferrers or non-preferrers each showed that heavier drinking compared to light drinking was related to breast cancer risk in each group. This strongly confirms the relation of ethyl alcohol per se to increased risk."