Doctors Link Alcohol Consumption, Breast Cancer

Wine may be good for a lot of things, healthwise - reducing cholesterol, burning fat, etc. But wine may have a dark side, as well, raising a woman's risk of breast cancer. The moral of the story is there is great truth in the adage, "All things in moderation."

Under the headline, "Alcohol’s Close Association with Breast Cancer," The Med Guru Columnist Gunjan Mehra writes:

"Breast cancer definintely is the most common cancer in females. Approximately 1 out of 9 American women have a risk of developing this disease within their lifetime. Drinking alcohol, especially more than one drink per day, can only increase that risk.” - Journal of the American Medical Association.

"While most women are aware that a drink can reduce their risk towards strokes, about 85 percent of them are still grossly unaware of the risks they subject themselves to by consuming as little as even half a glass of wine every day."

"Are all Alcoholic Beverages Harmful?"

"Yes! So don’t assume that switching to beer or spirits is the solution. According to Wendy Y. Chen, MD, PhD, a cancerdefine specialist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, “The more alcohol consumed on a regular basis, the greater the risk.” Although the risk of getting breast cancer may be affected by a host of factors, limiting the number of drinks you have in a day can definitely reduce the risk. This is one thing that you can surely try your hand at, because it is never too late to change your drinking habits."

"More you drink, More Likely You Are to Develop Breast Cancer?"

"The biology behind the relationship between alcohol consumption and an augmented risk of getting breast cancer is the production of estrogen. Alcohol is said to interfere with the way human body metabolizes estrogen. Studies have revealed that the hormone estrogen is responsible for causing some breast cancers. Hence, the risk associated with the consumption of alcohol tends to increase as the quantity and the duration of alcohol consumption increases."

"According to the findings of a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, that tracked the health and alcohol consumption patterns of 122,000 cancer free women, since 1976, after every 4 years - by the year 2002, and nearly 6000 of them had developed breast cancer. The study further revealed that as compared to teetotalers:

• Women who drank the equivalent of a half glass of wine a day were 6 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

• Women who drank a glass or two a day faced a 21 percent increased risk of breast cancer.

• Those who drank more than two drinks a day were 37 percent more likely to develop breast cancer."

"Greater Risk for Menopausal women"

"Consumption of alcohol, while women are going through their menopausal phase, subjects them to a greater risk of developing breast cancer in the subsequent years. According to the conclusions drawn by the study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (also mentioned above), the chance of developing breast cancer among monopausal women who drank even half a glass of wine every day, increased by about 18 percent, thus establishing a strong relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer in menopausal women. This risk becomes all the more pronounced in women who are undergoing hormonal therapy post menopause."

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