The Link between Breast Cancer and Alcohol Consumption

Breast Cancer in America

Breast cancer awareness is not a new thing for modern Americans. In 2009, there were around 250,000 women diagnosed with non-invasive and invasive breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Those who drink on the average only one serving or drink per day are at risk for breast cancer. The latest data suggest that 27,000 of these women drank alcohol regularly.
 

Are you One Drink Away from Breast Cancer?

If you are thinking of ordering that margarita with dinner tonight, think twice, my friend. What the medical professionals have uncovered is that it is a drink you should only have rarely, not occasionally or daily. Other findings include:

• Among women who drank no alcohol at all, breast cancer occurred at a proportion of 281 cases per 100,000 person years. Among women who consumed 3–6 drinks a week, the rate was 333 per 100,000 person years (an additional 52 cases).
• No substantial risk was associated with the smallest consumption of 0.1–4.9 grams of alcohol a day (1 - 3drinks a week).
• Women who consumed 5.0–10 grams of alcohol a day (3–6 drinks a week) had a 15% greater danger of breast cancer compared to women who did not drink at all.
• When the scientists looked at two broad age categories – earlier life (ages 18–40) and later adult life (40 or over) – alcohol intake in both these distinct eras of life was linked with threat.

READ The Relationship Between Breast Cancer and Body Weight

We Agree to Disagree…

Not everyone agrees with Chen and Allen. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has conducted an exhaustive analysis of the topic, too. They conclude that there is too much controversy about the association between breast cancer and alcohol use to call the game.

These scientists say that there are many analyses that show there is no association, even with moderate alcohol ingestion. The National Cancer Institute in America doesn’t even include alcohol intake as a danger factor in the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.

The NIAAA recommends that a woman drink no more than three drinks in any one day and an average of no more than seven drinks per week. This is saying that most women should not drink daily or drink excessively daily. Safe alcohol consumption is that which is only occasionally and socially taken in. According to these experts, a standard alcoholic drink is:

• A 5-ounce goblet of dinner wine
• A 12-ounce can or container of regular beer
• A shot (one and one-half ounces) of 80 proof liquor or spirits such as vodka, tequila, or rum either straight or in a mixed drink.