LIFESTYLE NEWS - More than 100 epidemiological studies conducted in all regions of the world have evaluated the association between the consumption of alcoholic beverages and female breast cancer, and have consistently found an increased risk with increasing intake.

This is according to an article on the web site of the Cancer Association of South Africa. It says that the effects of duration or cessation of consumption of alcoholic beverages on the risk for breast cancer are uncertain.

Each increment in one drink per day was associated with 10% increased risk of Androgen Receptor-positive and Oestrogen Receptor-positive breast cancer, respectively. ('Androgen Receptor-positive' describes cells that have a protein that binds to androgens (male hormones).

Cancer cells that are androgen receptor positive may need androgens to grow. These cells may stop growing or die when they are treated with substances that block the binding and actions of androgen hormones. The same applies to the term 'Oestrogen Receptor-positive'.)

Research consistently shows that drinking alcoholic beverages - beer, wine, and spirits - increases a woman's risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol can increase levels of oestrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol also may increase breast cancer risk by damaging DNA in cells.

Compared to women who do not drink alcohol at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day.

Teen and tween girls aged 9 to 15 who drink three to five drinks a week have three times the risk of developing benign breast lumps. Certain categories of non-cancerous breast lumps are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer later in life.

While only a few studies have been done on drinking alcohol and the risk of recurrence, a 2009 study found that drinking even a few alcoholic beverages per week (three to four drinks) increased the risk of breast cancer coming back in women who had been diagnosed with early-stage disease.

The bottom line is that regularly drinking alcohol can harm one’s health, even if one does not binge drink or get drunk. All types of alcohol count.

Source: www.cansa.org.za